Civil War: The Blood of Fallen Heroes
by DanielNieves
Summary: AU Chuunin Exams. Naruto's changed, an event that not only changes him, but changes the whole shinobi world as we know it. Secrets are revealed, a new Hokage, and Hi no Kuni's dynasty, but what happens when half the country's rebelled. Find out!
1. Chapter 1

The Blood of Fallen Heroes: A Story of Civil War

Author's Note: Here's my formal apology to all my readers. I'm sorry I haven't update the Road Less Taken in six months and Requiem of a Demon in two months. I came to a point where writing Naruto was meaningless to me as I continued to read the manga, a sense of horrid dread filled me as to me Kishimoto came really close to ruining a series I loved dearly. In doing so, I just felt disinterested in writing Naruto fanfiction, leading me to cross over into the fanfiction realm of One Tree Hill. Hopefully this fic will bring my mojo back with Naruto, my last ditch effort in feeling the love I once did for the series.

I

The sun kissed jinchiruuki sat atop the Hokage monument as he pondered what he'd do in tommorrow's fight against Hyuuga Neji. He hadn't been able to sleep so the whiskered boy had leapt into the night, running and leaping from roof to roof much to the ANBU's dismay. Then again, he really wasn't expecting not to be noticed, after all he wore an orange jumpsuit. 'I should use the money from the Zabuza mission to get some new gear. But I love this outfit…' Naruto thought, sitting with his legs crossed.

It had been a regular day for him. The people of Konoha hated him, because of the demon that had been sealed away in him to protect their very lives. He never understood that since finding out about his jinchiruuki status. How could the people hate him when his existence was their protection from the Nine Tailed Fox?

He had some light sparring by himself since he didn't want to bother Sakura-chan, and Sasuke was nowhere to be found as well as his lazy sensei. Afterwards, he had headed over to the hospital to make sure Lee was okay, and hadn't been killed by that psycho Gaara. He barely concealed the shudder that came over him as he thought of the red haired Suna genin.

After that he had gotten lunch at Ichiraku, and after a few bowls had left to see if he could find that pervert Ero-sennin for some useful techniques, but the white haired ninja was nowhere to be found. Then again, he hadn't bothered to check the hot springs which most likely would be the likely place to find the creep peeping.

Naruto didn't really know what to think of the old sage. He was always too busy peeping to show him anything useful, other than the Summoning jutsu and how to control the demon fox's chakra. At least he actually showed him something, unlike his perpetually late sensei Kakashi.

As Naruto's mind raced away, there was a deafening howl breaking him out of reverie and surprising him into stupor. As his cerulean eye's looked for the cause of the maddening howl, he looked up at the sky by the Hokage's Tower and saw what looked like a hole in the sky. Which didn't make sense and wasn't possible, but he was seeing it with his very own eyes.

As he tried to make sense of what was happening, he looked into the hole in the sky and saw nothing but flames, and an orange mask swirling in the background.

"Pretty…" Naruto exclaimed, until he felt a pain in his stomach, where the seal of the Kyuubi lay.

"_Save this world Naruto-kun, because I couldn't save mine." _A voice called out, and Naruto screamed as what felt like a thousand pin pricks stabbed into him, and the world swirled around and faded into nothing.

…

"Good morning, Naruto-kun." The old and aged voice of the Sandaime Hokage interrupted the boy's thoughts the next morning.

Naruto had woken up and felt different, it was almost wrong. He didn't wake up to be his cheery self, but rather felt morose and depressed. He felt like he knew things that weren't right, that couldn't be right. What the hell happened last night?

"Morning, Hokage-sama." Naruto greeted, suprising himself at the honorific.

The Hokage looked surprised, but brushed it off as he ruffled the blonde's unruly spiky hair. "What happened last night?" The Hokage asked.

"I don't know." Naruto admitted quietly. "There was fire, a lot of it."

"ANBU last night gave report of you spontaneously catching on fire, so they brought you here. You've been here for about eight hours now. It's actually almost time for the Chuunin Exams, I dropped by to let you know it's unfortunate that you were attacked last night and now miss the exam." The Hokage said sadly.

"I'm not missing the exam… I'm not going to be some sixteen year old genin. How much time do I have left?" Naruto asked.

"Three hours until the start, are you sure Naruto-kun. There's another one in six months." The Hokage pointed out.

"I'm sure. Old man, I need to know something…" Naruto trailed off, not looking him in the eye.

"Sure what is it?" The Sandaime asked, giving a hearty laugh at Naruto calling him old man again.

"The Yondaime… he's my father isn't he?" Naruto asked bluntly, making the old kage dropped his pipe.

"Where would you get such an idea?" the Sandiame asked gently.

"I don't know. I just know, just like I know Orochimaru's going to kill you today at the exams. Be careful old man, he'll be there. And you don't have to answer, the way you replied to the question's answer enough." Naruto replied, jumping out of bed.

"Naruto, wait?"

"No time jiji." Naruto shot back, jumping out of the window and sprinting across to his apartment.

The Yondaime Hokage was his father. He knew it somehow and the answer in that lay in the odd occurrence of the night before. Whatever happened yesterday is the reason Naruto knew of his father, or of Sandaime-jiji's death, or the stock of jutsu in his arsenal. Jutsu he'd never heard or dreamed of, or even actually seen but he _knew_ how to perform them.

_Sasuke…_ Naruto thought quietly. He had a sense of foreboding now when it came to the black haired Uchiha. Perhaps it had something to do with the mark Saskuke received in the forest of Death.

Grabbing a pair of khaki shorts and a black t-shirt with the orange spiral on the front, he realized how childish he looked. What kind of ninja paraded around in an orange jumpsuit?

Thanking Kami he had three hours left, he grabbed Gama-chan, who was filled to the brim with his savings and took off to the closest ninja clothing store. He dreaded going there, they always yelled at him, followed him around the store only to overprice whatever he bought anyway. That orange jumpsuit had cost him a whole week's worth of allowances, and it had been used too.

"What are you doing here?" The owner of the store barked, upon seeing him. "You know you're not welcome here… _demon_." The shop owner hissed when he saw no one was in the immediate area.

"Shut up." Naruto said, leveling him a glare.

Walking over to the outfits section, the owner followed him. "What did you say, boy?"

"Are you deaf, or just a plain, stupid civilian? What part of I'm a ninja and you're not do you not understand? And let's say I am what you so stupidly think I am, do you think antagonizing me is the best course of action, baka!" Naruto growled out, his hand twitching as it ached to grab a kunai.

The sudden blood lust he was afflicted with was almost out of control and he let out a stream of killer intent subconsciously. The shop owner froze fearfully, pissing himself in doing so. "Stop." He pleaded.

Naruto realized what he was doing and let up. "Go away before I do something I might regret." Naruto spoke disinterestedly.

"I'm going to report you to Hokage-sama." The owner threatened.

Naruto laughed. "Whatever… and tell him that you broke article one hundred and three of the Uniform Code of Shinobi Justice." Naruto shot back. "'At no point in time are you to mention the existence of the Kyuubi to anyone who remains ignorant of the truth. At no point in time are you to openly call the container any names in public that could threaten the secrecy. Any violators of this decree will be executed immediately with no trial or summons.'" Naruto said, repeating the Sandaime's law verbatim.

"Fine, just get what you need and get out." The owner bit off crossly.

Naruto raised his eyebrow. "You owe me anyway." Naruto replied smugly, grabbing himself a three sets of his new outfit as well as a few extra miscellaneous items, and a couple of storage scrolls.

"That'll be ten thousand ryou." The shop owner said once eyeing the items.

"Like I said, you owe me anyway." Naruto stated, leveling him with a glare that begged of the owner to complain. The civilian bowed his head, hiding his watery eyes and let the young shinobi disappear his shop in a flurry of leaves.

Seconds later an ANBU arrived at the shop. "Everything okay?" the Neko masked ANBU asked, a female with long, violet hair asked.

"Yes shinobi-san, everything is squared away."

"I suggest you take the boy's advice and keep this pretty quiet. A few of us overhead you call him something you shouldn't of." Neko replied, disappearing a second later.

…

Naruto looked in front of a mirror and didn't know what to think of himself. The new outfit was nice, but he barely recognized himself, with all the orange stripped away. He had on a tight navy blue shirt with the chain mail shirt underneath, revealing his lean figure. He wasn't bulky at all, but he packed on enough muscles for someone his age.

He had on chain mail armbands on both arms from the elbow on down to protect them from kunai and shuriken. His hands had on their own protection with finger-less gloves and a metal plate on the top center of the glove.

His hitai-ate had been redone, sitting on a longer, black cloth this time rather than the standard blue. His hitai-ate was polished, with his blond locks hanging over bits of it. He had on standard black shinobi pants, with the white bandana wrapped around his shin, securing it easily into his blue sandals. Lastly, holding his pants on was a black belt, with two scrolls sitting on each side of the belt for weapons.

He still kept his kunai holster and shuriken holster though.

Both kunai and shuriken were polished and sharpened.

He looked like a whole different person. He looked more like his father… ugh it was really weird trying to think of the Yondaime, his hero and idol as his father. Brushing away those thoughts, Naruto headed out of his room and out of the door only to find Jiraiya waiting for him outside. "Good luck out there kid." Jiraiya greeted.

"Whatever Ero-sennin, go back to peeping or whatever it is that you do." Naruto said dismissively, before walking away from the white haired sage.l

"What's wrong?" Jiraiya asked, halting the boy in his tracks by putting his hand on the genin's shoulder.

"You knew my father didn't you? You were like his sensei or something, right?" Naruto asked.

Jiraiya gave him a wary look. "You shouldn't know that… who told you?" Jiraiya demanded.

"Doesn't matter." Naruto replied. "Just answer the question, Jiraiya." Naruto said gently.

"Yeah, he was my student. I loved him, almost like a son." Jiraiya said sagely, his eyes lighting up with nostalgia.

"Then where were you for me?" Naruto asked.

"I was busy, checking out for Orochimaru and the Akatsuki." Jiraiya confessed.

Naruto frowned at the mention on both. "I'm thirteen and haven't met you until now, there's no excuse for that. I don't expect you to be there for me, but you could at least let me know." Naruto replied.

"I know I should have been a better godfather, but after the Yondaime's death…"

"You're my godfather…" Naruto said laughing sadly. "Man I thought the Yondaime was a genius, but naming you my godfather, brilliant man." Naruto added sarcastically.

Jiraiya's brows furrowed. "Look you can badmouth me, but don't badmouth the Yondaime. It wasn't his fault that I slacked on my duties." Jiraiya growled out.

"No, but it was his fault that he sealed the Kyuubi into me, died, and chose someone for godfather who'd never bother to stick around." Naruto pointed out. His eyes were emotionless, he didn't even seem saddened by any of it at all. He seemed defeated and resigned to his fate, as if it were all preordained and he was just going through the motions. "Look, thanks for showing me how to use the summoning and let me sign the toad contract. But I didn't need you before, and I don't know. Have a good life, Jiraiya-sama." Naruto added, giving the old sage a mock salute.

Naruto disappeared via shunshin. He had to be at the Konoha Central Stadium for the final portion of the Chuunin exams, and while he felt more powerful than he'd ever been, he felt more aware as well. There was a sense of foreboding today, as if yesterday's occerence had been mere foreshadowing and he just couldn't fathom what was supposed to happen today.

He knew Orochimaru killed the Sandaime, he felt it after waking up in the hospital and seeing the old man's wrinkled face. But the details, the where, when, and how were missing. Arriving at the stadium's door, he saw Konohamaru waiting for him at the entrance.

"Naruto-niiichan." Konohamaru greeted him brightly.

Naruto returned the megawatt grin, and ruffled the boy's hair, bending down to one knee to look the boy in the eye. "Ohayo, Konohamaru-chan." Naruto replied, wrapping his arms around the boy to give him a hug. It surprised even him, but instead he found himself saying. "I'll always be here for you kid."

Konohamaru's eyes watered up. "Don't get soft on me, nii-chan, I don't want any excuses when I beat you and become Hokage." The small nine year old ordered.

"You'll never beat me." Naruto shot back, giving him the peace sign before heading into the stadium. Walking in slowly, he saw six of the other contestants standing side by side, with a Uchiha Sasuke missing from the group. But for some reason Naruto already expected this. Walking up to the group, Naruto's eyes scanned the crowd, and the masses of Konoha were looking down of him.

He wasn't sure what they saw when they looked down on him. Did they see a different him, someone other than the childish jumpsuit wearing prankster he'd always been? He himself wasn't sure of who he was anymore. He knew he was the son of a dead Hokage, the vessel for the Kyuubi, but what defined him as him?

He used to be known for his pranks, but now amidst the changes that altered his very essence the night before, what made him Uzumaki Naruto now?

"Hey Naruto." Nara Shikamaru greeted as Naruto stood beside him on the end of the line. He avoided looking at the other contestants, not wanting to reveal his nervousness. But while nervous and scared he was, there was something gnawing away at his insides.

He was excited.

Something inside of him was calling out for him to battle it out with the world's strongest and brightest genin, and prove his very existence. He didn't know what to call it, it wasn't bloodlust, he knew that much. But the stadium, the environment, everything around him called out for a promise of battle, where skills would be shown and a possible chuunin advancement was displayed.

"How's it going Shika?" Naruto answered, looking at the lazy cloud watcher with his peripheral vision.

"Meh… this exam's going to be troublesome." Shikamaru pointed out.

"Hai… that it will." Naruto responded under his breath but he knew his fellow Konoha genin had heard him.

"What's with the new getup? It looks appropriate." Shikamaru asked.

"I'm a shinobi, not some idiot child. Time to dress like it." Naruto replied coldy, though the anger was being inferred to himself, rather than Shikamaru.

"That's good. Good luck Naruto." Shikamaru stated proudly, as if impressed by Naruto's newfound initiative.

"You too." Naruto shot back, nodding.

The proctor for the last portion of the exam, a young jounin appeared in front of them. "Hello, I am Genma and it looks like most of you are here with the exception of some. Let's not delay. As you know, all of you are the best of the best in the whole world, and the hitai-ate which you so proudly display is a sign of the country you represent. Do remember that and do not make a fool of yourselves as the Kage, Daimyo and leaders here will decide your advancement. Good luck to you all." Genma spoke complacently. "Hyuuga Neji and Uzumaki Naruto, you two are our first fighters, everyone leave the arena." Genma ordered, and suddenly it was just the two genin and the proctor.

Naruto turned and faced his opponent, a fellow leaf ninja who while he despised defended his village with the same pride and dedication he did. "Prepare to lose." Neji called out stoically.

Naruto didn't answer and instead slid into an offensive stance.

"Are you ready?" Genma asked loudly.

Naruto and Neji simply nodded.

"Begin!"

Genma disappeared from view, leaving the fighters alone. "Are you prepared to lose Uzumaki?" Neji asked, contempt lacing his voice.

Naruto ignored the question and instead slid a kunai out of his holster.

"Do not waste your kunai on me. I'm a Hyuuga, meaning there isn't anything I don't see. Weapons will be ineffective against me." Neji boasted, and Naruto wanted nothing more than to wipe his smug smile.

Naruto applied chakra to the bottom of his feet and launched himself forward, sprinting as fast as he could, a blur like movement that stunned the Hyuuga and before Neji could summon chakra to his eyes for the Byakugan, Naruto sliced his cheek open with the kunai. Neji's eyes widen in surprise, and received a kick to the solar plexus in his momentary stupor.

Naruto watched as Neji stumbled backwards, blood shooting up into the air from his kunai slice. Neji got up immediately, his face red from embarrassment. "Do not take me lightly because of your kekkei genkai. That was a warning, next time it's your throat." Naruto called out viciously.

He didn't actually intend to kill Neji, but it didn't mean he was going to let the smug bastard verbally torment him like he did to Hinata.

Angered, Neji slid into the classic Hyuuga stance. "Byakugan!" he cried out, his blood line coming to life.

Naruto shot forward, about to test the Hyuuga's taijutsu to find any flaw and found none in the first five minutes as the two through punches and kicks, Neji's Gentle Fist technique aiming to disable Naruto's chakra points though he did his best to block every single strike. Not that it was easy, he thought as sweat beaded up his forehead, blocking a shot aimed at his kidneys.

Kuso, I shouldn't of pissed him off, Naruto thought. Ducking under one of Neji's strikes, Naruto quickly rammed his fist in Neji's stomach, sending Neji stumbling back off balance for a second. He was about to follow up with a kick to the face when Neji sprung to life, rotating around in a spin while Naruto was in midair.

Chakra was released from Neji's chakra points forming a perfect barrier dome around him that spun. "Kaiten." Neji shouted, continuously releasing chakra as Naruto collided with it, and got flung backwards for his trouble, before slamming into a tree.

Naruto groaned as his back and ribs felt more bruised than they'd ever been. Stumbling to his feet, he saw Neji was honing in on him and before he could bring his hands up for defense Neji struck like an angry viper, calling out, "Eight Trigrams: Sixty Four Strikes."

Naruto groaned out in pain as one of Neji's strikes caught him in the stomach, then all over his midsection. "Sixteen." Neji announced. A few more strikes caught him and he would of screamed but his throat was hoarse and tasted like copper, and suddenly blood flew from his mouth. "Thirty two."

He couldn't move now, it was too painful and troublesome. More blows landed, and he couldn't keep up with the count, his eyes shut painfully, and he heard Neji shout out, "Sixty four strikes." He hit Naruto one last time with a burst of chakra and Naruto went sailing in the air, before crashing down with a resounding smack onto the earth.

"Proctor call the match. His chakra's been sealed away." Neji announced coldly.

"No…" Naruto croaked out, forcing his body to roll over, then to his feet.

"What are you doing? Can't you see you've been outclassed and defeated? It was fate to lose to me, from the very second you showed up to the arena, fate had determined I would be called the winner." Neji shouted out cruelly.

"Fate is but what we make." Naruto replied, trying to summon chakra up forcefully, only to find pain instead.

"You're chakra's gone. That is your punishment for your arrogance. You thought that you, a lowly orphan genin could defeat one of the Hyuuga?" Neji demanded coldly.

"You might believe in something as stupid as fate, but I don't. The arrogant one here is you, believing that you are superior to people because you're from a clan with a powerful kekkei genkai. But in the end I'd rather be a lonely orphan against the world, then some Main Branch servant who's upset at his situation." Naruto replied.

"What did you say?" Neji's eyes lit up in fury.

"You heard me Hyuuga Neji. Isn't that why you humiliated your cousin Hinata at the preliminaries. You can't take the Main Branch on, so you settled for destroying her. Your arrogance is astounding." Naruto commented.

"You don't understand anything." Neji said snarling, removing his hitai-ate with one fluid motion. "I've been marked by fate to be nothing more than a caged bird. On that day, that day of betrayal…"

"Your father was murdered in Hiashi's place." Naruto finished for him. Neji looked at him in shock. "Be thankful you knew yours. I don't even know my parents, who they were, what they did, and yet you don't hear me bitch all day about it. It sucks, but don't call it fate and resign in life to just bitch about the wrongdoings you've suffered through. That's the coward's way out." Naruto stated.

"Shut up." Neji warned.

"It's true and you know it." Naruto responded with a somber glance.

"Shut up!" Neji cried out, rushing in to deliver a harsh Juuken blow to Naruto's chest. Naruto fell over, blood spraying from his lips, and sending him into a semi state of unconsciousness. Naruto felt a pull into a dark void, and was sent tumbling into the gates holding the Kyuubi back.

There was a voice in his mind, telling him that if he begged the Kyuubi for power, he'd be rewarded with chakra in abundance. "Nooo!!!" Naruto yelled, and forced himself back out into the real world.

"Killing me won't make that pain go away…" Naruto whispered, forcing a scowl from the white eyed genin.

"You don't know anything about this pain, don't judge me. You don't know what it's like…"

"Shut up." Naruto spoke, anger rattling in his voice. "Do you think you're the only who suffered in this world. You know nothing about me, how do you know what I went through? I never had parents, a family, a clan, or a kekkei genkai, and yet I fight everyday to prove to this village I'm not what they think I am. I'm hated by everyone when they know nothing of my burden, of my sacrifice. I've never been recognized by anyone, which is why dream is to become Hokage so the whole village is forced to recognize me as the best. Your fate suggests I'd never do that, but I don't believe in having a preordained destination as to what we do, which is why by beating you here and now, I'm going to show you that fate is what we make. By beating you here, I'm going to be one step closer to Hokage, and the village's recognition.

"I'm sorry your life sucks, and that you've been branded by the Main Branch. But one day I'll become the Hokage and I'll change the ways of clans, even the Hyuuga." Naruto explained.

"You can't beat me, you have no chakra left." Neji replied, astounded by Naruto's resiliency.

"You're right, but I'm just a clone. Bunshin Bakuha!" Naruto yelled and blew himself up, the explosion rocking Neji, blinding him as it sent him flying backwards.

"What? When?" Neji demanded.

"From the very beginning." Naruto replied, hopping out of the stadium, in a henge. He looked like another bystander, until he released the Henge.

"I've been fighting a shadow clone? But I hit you." Neji cried out in surprise.

"Yes you did, and that's my secret to keep. Like I told you Neji, your arrogance knew no bounds. Perhaps this battle will be a lesson, despite your bruised ego. Now yield." Naruto commanded, holding a kunai in his hand, he walked up to the beaten genin, and held the kunai to his throat.

"Proctor, I yield." Neji complied, before closing his eyes in shame.

"Smart move, Neji." Naruto replied, before sliding his kunai back into his holster.

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause and Naruto took it in for a second, and then decided to head on upstairs, until Genma stopped him. "You showed not only power, skill, guts and bravery, but you also showed patience and strategy, you deserve the promotion to Chuunin and I'm definitely recommending you for promotion." Genma stated, then gave him a small wave.

…

"Naruto, that was so cool." Chouji shouted out, before diving back into a bag of chips.

Naruto smiled at the big boned Akimichi and nodded, before taking a seat next to him and Shikamaru. "He's right Naruto, you should definitely make chuunin. When did you get so strong, just month you were still a fool wearing that orange jumpsuit?" Shikamaru asked.

Naruto shrugged. "Some of us are just born to be good." Naruto replied.

"Troublesome."

"Naruto! Nice fight out there." A voice called out and Naruto turned his head to see Ino Yamanaka and his teammate on Team Seven Haruno Sakura walking towards them.

"Nothing special." Naruto replied easily, and bit back his surprise when the young kunoichi sat down next to them.

"Nothing special? You just wiped the floor with Hyuuga Neji, last year's top rookie genin. He's a year older than you and you beat him with a shadow clone." Ino complimented him.

Naruto shrugged. "I'm surprised you're not boasting, claiming it's your first step to Hokage, but seriously that was awesome Naruto." Sakura said smiling at him. "I hope Sasuke does as good as you did, maybe you'll face off in the finals." She added hopefully.

"It'd be nice." Naruto mused, before waiting for Genma to announce the next match.

"Uchiha Sasuke versus Sabaku no Gaara!" Genma called out.

Seconds later Gaara materialized out of sand in the arena. As they waited for a few minutes, Sasuke still had not shown up. Genma had left to talk to the Hokage and returned saying that the Gaara versus Sasuke match would be postponed until the end. Afterwards he called for Shino and Kankurou, and Kankurou promptly quit, refusing to fight the bug user.

"Shino wins by disqualification. Next match is Sabaku no Temari versus Nara Shikamaru." Genam called out.

"Meh… I don't want to fight a girl, it's troublesome." Shikamaru whined.

"Good luck Shika." Naruto shouted out, giving the shadow user a confident smile.

Shikamaru nodded, before lazily making his way to the arena. The fight was not a disappointment, though Shikamaru had given up since he had ran out of chakra. He had fought valiantly and nearly defeated the Suna kunoichi who had been tough and smart herself.

"Okay, the fight we've all been waiting for Uchiha Sasuke versus Sabaku no Gaara." Genma called, and Gaara again was the first fighter to appear. After a ten minute wait did Sasuke finally appear with Kakashi. Naruto couldn't help but think that maybe Kakashi had rubbed off on him.

Most likely no matter how good Sasuke was, he wouldn't be promoted. Shinobi rule number 8 stated that all shinobi must show up on time, for a shinobi's reputation is more valuable than his skill alone. Gaara and Sasuke began their fight and though Naruto was watching, he couldn't help but feel on edge. Something was gravely wrong, he could feel it in the air.

Standing up, he decided to go for a walk and check things out, but not before he heard Sakura's indignant cry. "Where are you going Naruto?" she demanded.

"For a walk, I'll be back in a bit, Sakura." Naruto replied, and neither of them missed his lack of adding the chan honorific to her name.

The blonde shinobi headed to the top of the stadium, overlooking everything. He could the Hokage and the Kazekage having idle conversation, and ANBU in their designated positions watching over everything, so why did he feel so scared?

The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. His hands fumbled around in his kunai holster, and he distracted himself by watching Sasuke fight. Sasuke's skills had improved tenfold in his month away with Kakashi-sensei, as he watched Sasuke use a taijutsu resembling Lee's Goken style. In fact it looked almost to be identical, he thought as he watched Sasuke go through the same moves that Lee did.

It was sad really. That one fucking Sharingan could be so powerful it could record jutsus and allow the user to use him himself. He thanked Kami Sasuke and his brother were the last of the Uchiha's, and he really doubt that he'd run into Itachi anytime soon.

"So I heard you won your fight, congratulations." His perpetually late sensei greeted, interrupting his thoughts.

"Whatever, you don't care anyway." Naruto replied bitterly, sounding like the thirteen year old he was.

"That's not fair Naruto. You know I had to train Sasuke on how to use the Sharingan." Kakashi accused.

"It took you a month to show him how to use a set of eyes that copy everything?" Naruto shot back.

"Well that and we had to work on his speed for his fight with Gaara." Kakashi replied.

"Of course, because my fight with Hyuuga Neji wouldn't be that hard." Naruto said sarcastically. "You just didn't expect me to win. All you ever care about is Sasuke, and he's strong enough as it is in comparison to me and Sakura." Naruto added.

"I had all the faith in the world in you Naruto, you're my student after all." Kakashi replied complacently, putting his hand on the top of Naruto's head as he ruffled his hair.

"And just what have you taught me sensei? How to walk on trees? I could see how that'd be useful in a fight against Neji." Naruto remarked.

"Look I know you're not going to understand and I don't expect you to but you had Jiraiya as a teacher, and he's a sannin." Kakashi fired back angrily.

"He's also a pervert who only taught me how to summon toads and the Kyuubi's chakra. He was too busy checking out chicks to show me the 'basics' as you put it. Don't you think that's a reflection on your teaching, that I'm not good on the basics?" Naruto asked, not looking his sensei in the eye.

"I can see your going to be troublesome about this. I did what I had to do to protect my student, and if you don't understand that, then you've learned nothing in your career as a shinobi." Kakashi reprimanded harshly.

Naruto looked and saw that Sasuke was powering up a powerful Raiton attack. "He sure as hell didn't know that before." Naruto commented and walked off.

"That attack is for guys like me and Sasuke, it wouldn't have done you any good anyway." Kakashi informed him.

"Whatever, it's the thought that counts sensei." Naruto replied, not once looking back at the man he used to worship religiously.

Moments later, a lot of things happened at once, an enraged Gaara screamed as he saw his blood pouring down his shoulder, a byproduct of Sasuke's new Chidori attack. The second was that feathers started falling from the sky, and suddenly Naruto's eyes were slowly closing, the feathers beckoning him to go to sleep.

Naruto knew it was a genjutsu, and slowly brought up his right hand to do a one handed release. The genjutsu broke around him, and before he could grab a kunai, Oto and Suna jounin flooded the stadium. Naruto was about to leap into the battle and release the genjutsu on any possible shinobi caught unaware, when an explosion caused him to rock forward, and fall right over the edge into the stands. As he fell, his vision was blockaded by a huge three headed snake summon that was tearing the village apart.

Where to start?

The Suna and Oto jounin or the giant snake?

He didn't have to make a choice as one of the enemy jounin jumped at him, and Naruto's eyes widened in fear, and blood sprayed his face. He looked shocked, and then realized he had stabbed the jounin right in the heart, he had killed someone for the very first time. "Ugh…" Naruto cried out, frantically wiping the blood on his face.

Where the hell was the Hokage when you needed him?

Looking up, he saw the Sandaime-jiji and Orochimaru in battle, the hebi sannin dressed in the Kazekage's royal garbs. He had been right… the Sandaime would truly die today. There was a four point barrier, purple in color and four enemy ninja on each side of the barrier. There was a few ANBU there, standing as they watched the Hokage fight.

Frustrated, Naruto launched a set of shuriken at them. They turned and saw it was him, and he imagined they were glaring at him through their porcelain animal masks, but right now he really couldn't care. "Help the Hokage idiots!" Naruto shouted out, and ducked underneath the wild swing of another Oto jounin. Before the jounin could strategize another attack, Naruto's kunai found itself buried in his ribs, and then yanked out. The jounin cried out in pain, clutching his bloody side, until Naruto launched his kunai and struck the jugular vein, killing him instantly.

Eyes swiveling, looking for any more of the enemy ninja, he saw his sensei and Maito Gai locked into a heated battle with the enemy jounin, as Sakura and Ino tried waking up all of the people who were asleep. Looking down at the arena, he saw Sasuke had already left, gone somewhere as well as the red haired Suna genin.

Taking that as a sign to continue battling, Naruto saw Kakashi was about to get ambushed by two fake ANBU, and launched some shuriken at them, embedding the blades into their necks before they could reach his sensei. He might not like jounin-sensei at this particular time, but he was still a member of the leaf, and death would not be wished on anybody.

Kakashi gave Naruto a thank you, using hand movements and Naruto disregarded it, vanishing in a shunshin and reappearing to slice the throat of a Suna jounin about to kill Sakura. His kunai met flesh, and blood sprayed from the wound, hitting Sakura in the face and soaking Naruto's navy blue t-shirt as well.

Sakura screamed in panic.

"Keep working on everybody!" Naruto shouted. He then yelped in pain as a kunai was found buried into his side. Pulling it out, he turned around to see the perpetrator, only to have a boot impact with his face. Naruto fell backwards, crashing into the cement wall crying out in pain. His attacker, another random Oto jounin launched himself at the sun kissed jinchiruuki and Naruto ducked under the next kick that was sent his way, the jounin crashing into the same wall that he sent Naruto into.

Naruto's hands were flying through hand seals as fast as they could and he didn't remember ever having performed this attack. He was limited to the Kage Bunshin, Kuchiyose no jutsu, and a few variations of taijutsu, but instead he reared his head backwards, collecting up chakra in his lungs and throat and in his mind, he screamed, "Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" He pinched his thumb and index finger together forming a small circle as he brought it to his lips, blowing a large fireball from his mouth, burning his throat on the way out, and incinerating the jounin in front of him.

He turned around and saw that Kakashi, Maito Gai and Sakura were giving him a shocked look, and he ignored them, applying chakra to his feet and began to run across the walls sideways before leaping at a Suna chuunin that had been about to attack Ino and decapitated him cleanly.

He didn't have time to cry, which he really wanted to right now. He had lost in a sense and innocence that would never be returned as this day marked a black stain in the calendar of his heart. Rather than dwell on the life he just took, he silently killed his feelings and emotions and decided to protect the village, what he was paid to do.

The snake summons, two massive three headed snakes were still running amok the village, and nothing could stop them, none of the Leaf's attacks were working as they launched every fireball and every ninjutsu they could muster.

He wasn't sure as to what to do as he ran forward, ignoring the shouts of his pseudo-sensei and teammates and suddenly thanked the perverted sannin for having bothered to have taught him this. 'Give me chakra Kyuubi.' Naruto demanded coldly from the most powerful bijuu in existence, currently sealed away within the confines of his belly.

"**Shut up monkey, do not presume as to order me around as if I were some simple housepet! I will not give you anything!"** Kyuubi roared in his head.

"I'm not giving you a choice, either willingly or forcefully, I'm taking your chakra. I suggest the former as the latter will hurt a bit." Naruto warned.

"**You dare threaten me, the King of Bijuu!? I offered my services earlier and you denied me, now suffer the consequences you hairless ape."**

"Earlier my village wasn't being threatened. You can't say I didn't warn you." Naruto said bashfully, before forming the ram seal in midair, as he leapt from rooftop to rooftop to get to the snake summon.

In his head, he envisioned himself tweaking the seal a bit, and he pulled as hard as he could, summoning up a flare of chakra that burned away at his insides, flooding his tenketsu and rejuvenating him.

"**What are you doing? Stop that now!!!" **Kyuubi roared in his head, feeling the pain that Naruto had described.

"I told you so." Naruto snapped back, pulling as much chakra as his thirteen year old body could handle, as a red aura formed itself around his body, his eyes turning red with a vertical slit, his nails lengthening into harsh talons as he took on the Kyuubi's characteristics. His whiskers darkened, and suddenly he felt more power and speed than he'd ever felt before.

Bringing up his right thumb to his mouth, he bit down hard causing blood to flow freely as he leapt one more time and landed a hundred yards away from the twin snake summons. Going through the hand seals fluidly, he brought his hand up, summoning all the Kyuubi's chakra he had taken and slammed his hand on the ground. "Ninpou: Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Naruto screamed, and gagged as there was a burst of smoke and suddenly he was up in the air, high in the sky and on eye level with the snake summons.

With all the chakra he had taken, he had summoned up three massive toads, the one in the middle being Gamabunta and two dark blue toads with katanas strapped to their backs. "Who dare summon us at a time like this?" Gamabunta roared.

"Boss, I need your help. I need you to protect the village and take out the snakes. Orochimaru is destroying the village and I know I didn't pass your test and stuff, but protect the home that I, Jiraiya, and the Yondaime Hokage fought so hard for. Please help." Naruto begged.

"Hai. We will take care of the snakes, but afterwards do not summon me unless you are ready to drink up and complete the last part of the toad's rituals." Gamabunta spat, pulling his kodaichi free. "Get off my head." He ordered, and Naruto complied, leaping off his head and landing in the thick, bustling trees.

"Thank you, Gamabunta-sama." Naruto stated morosely.

He would defend the village whatever it took.

His tenketsu were now reopened and he felt flooded with his own chakra plus the Kyuubi's. Releasing the demonic energy source, he felt it all dissipate and swirl back into the seal on his stomach.

Disappearing via shunshin, he sent himself speeding back towards the arena, arriving moments later. Sakura had managed to wake up Shikamaru, and the enemy jounin around them had been all but killed. Maito Gai was finishing the rest of them up using taijutsu alone, breaking their necks and skulls with well timed kicks.

Kakashi summoned him with his hand, and Naruto appeared in front of them in a swirl of leaves. "Naruto, I need you to lead Sakura and Shikamaru to Sasuke and help him defeat the Suna siblings. Good job on summoning the toads, I haven't been able to locate Jiraiya-sama. Can you do that for me?" Kakashi asked warily.

"Hai, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto replied, the sensei part sounding forced past his lips.

"Alright good. I'm going to summon up Pakkun, one of my ninken to help you get there." Kakashi replied, before slamming his bloody hand to the floor, summoning a small pug.

"Let's go." Naruto stated to Sakura and Shikamaru.

"Naruto, we're having a talk when you return." Kakashi informed him with a disappointed look.

"Whatever, that can wait." Naruto replied, before leaping off into the woods of Konoha in search of Sasuke. Immediately after departing, Naruto walked up to the ninken and asked complacently, "You do know what Sasuke smells like right?"

"Yes. I know all of your scents now, I'll lead you to him. Beware though, there is at least twelve different scents I don't recognize." Pakkun said, warning him.

"Alright, thank you. Here's the game plan, I'm going to lead, we're going to form the standard triangle formation. Pakkun you're going to hang on to my back and let me know if you smell out any upcoming enemies. Shika, you're going to flank my left and use your shadows to stall the enemy and give me enough time to slit their throat. Sakura, you're going to be my long distance fighter, since your taijutsu sucks frankly and you have no powerful jutsu whatsoever. Arm yourself with as much kunai and shuriken as possible and have no mercy whatsoever. We cannot afford to be squeamish and act like children." Naruto commanded.

Sakura's eyes widened at Naruto's instructions and felt hurt that he called her essentially useless. "There's one problem with that plan." Shikamaru interrupted.

"What's up Shika?" Naruto asked.

"I'm out of chakra, I'm not sure how long I'll be able to stall or how useful I'll be when we find them." He pointed out.

"I know, I got soldier pills and plenty of them." Naruto replied tossing one of them to Shikamaru. Shikamaru nodded gratefully and grabbed it, biting it down and then swallowing it, feeling his energy returning to him. "By the way Sakura, I'm not calling you useless, else I wouldn't take you with me, but I need to strategize effectively as the mission's leader or else we'll die. It's not your fault we have a lazy sensei, but when we return, perhaps it wouldn't be bad to take initiative and train a bit harder rather than chasing Sasuke." Naruto pointed out, and then turned away.

"Hai, Naruto-taichou." Sakura replied.

Naruto turned around to give a smile. "Don't make me blush, you don't even call Sasuke that." Naruto replied. His teammates gave him the confirmation nod to go ahead and lead them, and Naruto burst forward.

…

The group had been moving at a decent pace in their attempt to find Sasuke. "Alright guys, I know it's been half an hour of looking, but we have to keep trying." Naruto ordered. They were about to move forward when suddenly eight shinobi leapt in their way.

"Where do you think you're going little genin?" one of the Oto ninja asked.

"The bathroom." Naruto replied back sarcastically.

"Smart mouth on you huh?" the jounin fired back. "I'll be sure to cut those lips right off your mouth." He added cruelly, a smile lighting up on his face.

"Guys we can beat them." Naruto stated, sliding into an offensive stance.

"Really, three genin and some dog against eight elite Oto jounin?" another one of the jounin shot back.

"Yeah, it's a good thing an elite Oto jounin's only as good as a Konoha genin, so not worth much." Naruto replied.

"We're going to kill you now." The Oto jounin leader stated and they all pulled out a set of kunai and charged them. Naruto, Sakura, and Shikamaru fought valiantly. Sakura was the first to die, but she was incinerated in a fiery explosion. Shikamaru was next, stabbed right in the chest by on the jounin, and he fell back and died, a sad expression on his face.

Suddenly it was just Naruto left.

"All talk huh?" the jounin asked, advancing on Naruto.

"Yeah, and I know you got another hidden in the trees, tell him he can come out now." Naruto replied.

"Prepare to die like your friends." The ninth Oto shinobi called out, appearing behind Naruto and pressing a kunai to his jugular.

"Can I say one thing?" Naruto asked politely.

"Sure, feel free." The jounin replied cruelly, before letting out a laugh.

"Bunshin Daibakuha!!!" Naruto replied and his body as well as Sakura's and Shikamaru's turned bright, white light beaming out of their eyes and mouths. The Oto jounins gasped and suddenly everything within a half mile radius exploded, a beam of white light firing into the sky as everything was destroyed.

Meanwhile, the real Naruto halted in his tracks, hearing and seeing the aftermath of the explosion. "Guess that worked." He said simply.

"Good job Naruto, making clones of us like that." Sakura complimented him.

"Yeah but it was your ideas as well as Shika to intentionally get caught to stall, I just exploded them." Naruto replied.

"Naruto-kun, there's a kunoichi up ahead. I guess the explosion wasn't such a good idea." Pakkun interrupted their conversation.

"I wanted them to know we were onto them." Naruto replied.

"Why would you do that?" Pakkun asked.

"Simple. They'd separate in an attempt to stall us. Three against one is better odds, so unless they got exploding clones, which I doubt, I don't think we have much to worry about." Naruto replied.

"Yeah but that leaves Gaara and the puppet sibling." Shikamaru pointed out.

"Yeah and Gaara's injured. I have faith in you and Sakura, Shikamaru. I'll take care of the kunoichi, you guys go ahead and catch up to Sasuke." Naruto replied.

Giving the group a mock salute, he smiled cheerily and leapt away from them, disappearing in a blur as he rushed forward to meet up with the Suna kunoichi. "Hello there, Suna-chan." Naruto greeted.

The Suna kunoichi Temari glared daggers at him, staring him down with such intent it almost made him nervous. Her teal eyes had such anger in them, that Naruto knew it would be deadly to underestimate the wind user. "It's Temari to you. Temari-sama will do as well." She replied, reaching behind her to pull out her large battle fan.

Naruto grinned. Rather than replying to her immediately, he pulled out a small scroll from his belt. "I kinda borrowed this technique from that kunoichi Tenten that you humiliated at the preliminaries." Naruto admitted, unrolling the scroll and biting his thumb again, since it had already healed.

"The weak deserve to be humiliated." Temari replied coldly.

"Then should I humiliate you?" Naruto asked, his eyes lighting up aflame with passion.

"You won't beat me… I'm not as weak as that Hyuuga Neji or any of your opponents. If you really think your little ragtag group's going to beat Gaara even if they have Uchiha Sasuke with them, then you Leaf nin are as stupid and blind as we believe you to be." Temari shot back.

"We of Konoha tend to adjust to circumstance. It's a good thing your Kazekage's already dead, because after this squabbles over, we of the leaf will make Sunagakure pay." Naruto stated cruelly, smiling at her. "We could even use a strong spirited female like yourself for breeding." He said, bluffing.

"The Kazekage's dead?" Temari asked, her eyes widening.

"Yeah, it seems Orochimaru already killed your father before you guys even arrived and took his place. If Sunagakure was already weak with a Kazekage, you guys will be so much weaker without one, there will be no treaties, no peace, nothing but punishment for your insolence. We left you alone to prosper and you arrogantly betrayed us to Orochimaru, prepare for the consequence." Naruto boasted.

"We will not go down without a fight." Temari shouted and opened her fan to all three moons. "Futon: Kamatachi no jutsu." She shouted at him, swinging her fan in a heavy arc, blowing out a gust of vicious wind chakra ready to slice him to shreds.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Naruto shot back, going through the hand seals for the Goukakyuu, before wordlessly firing out another ball of flame that collided with the wind chakra and became even more powerful as it rushed back to Temari.

"Fuck… Futon: Daikamatachi no Jutsu!" Temari shouted, firing an even larger gust of wind, blowing the fireball into the sky, scorching the trees as it went.

Naruto appeared in front of her and punched her in the stomach with such force, she keeled over. "I'm sorry I had to hit you, I don't hit women, but when it comes to my village, the place I love more than myself and anything in this world, there's not much I won't do." Naruto said sadly.

Temari clutched her stomach. "Ugh…"

"What did you guys think was gonna happen? Did you think you could beat the Leaf because you had an alliance with Oto, a brand new village? Do you forget history, when Suna, Iwa, and Kumo allied against us all and yet we still won the Second and Third Shinobi war. We of the Leaf, protectors to Hi no Kuni have a Will of Fire that fear itself will never put out." Naruto informed her, before karate chopping her in the neck, sending her tumbling into unconsciousness.

Grabbing a length of ninja wire, he wrapped it around her, tying her to the tree, tight enough so she shouldn't be able to escape, but not tight enough to draw blood.

Gathering his bearings, he rushed forward, intent on catching up to his teammates until minutes later he saw two prone bodies laid out on the treetops. Naruto rushed over to check to see who it was and saw one of them was Kankurou, the other sibling to Gaara and the other was Shino the bug user.

Apparently there had been a battle and it had ended in a draw. Kankurou looked drained of chakra if the bugs running across his body were any indication. Shino had no visible cuts but Naruto figured if he was taking on a puppet user, he more likely than not had been poisoned. Grabbing one of the scrolls on his right, he unsealed it and grabbed one of the flares he'd purchased earlier today.

Setting one off in the sky, he only hopped one of the medical teams cured Shino of the poison. It sucks that he had to leave him here, he sure as hell didn't want to, but there was nothing he could do for him, he didn't have any antidotes or medical knowledge on even finding which poison he'd been afflicted with.

He had to go, there was still one loose end left.

Gaara.

Applying more chakra to his feet, he sped up. He could feel it calling in the air, there was a big battle going on, beckoning him to hurry up and not miss anymore of it. His blood was singing with excitement, his muscles taut and demanded for a real battle. His last fight with Temari was disgustingly easy though it was mainly due to her being tired and underestimating his abilities as a shinobi.

Defending the villagers from the attacking shinobi had been hard due to their caliber, but the fights had been short, leaving him unbound and ready to spring into action. This battle with Gaara, a mere genin like himself though promised a battle that he would never forget. He would tire himself out and then some against the Suna genin and if he'd win, it would not be an easy fight.

He hoped his friends were okay though. That was the primary mission for him, and not even his desire to fight could override his mission to protect those he held dear to him. Leaping faster and faster on the trees, he saw them up ahead and his heart froze for a second as pure unadulterated fear struck him.

Sakura was pinned to a tree by a giant hand composed of sand, threatening to crush the life out of her. Shikamaru was weaving and dodging the flurry of sand as a sand like monster advanced on him. It looked like Gaara was possessed as his body was covered by sand with blue markings and only a tuft of red hair remained on the top of his head. One eye was light green while the other was gold and malevolent.

Gaara swung arm, thick with hard sand and tried to impale Shikamaru with the talons on the ends of his hands.

Now that Naruto thought about it, Gaara looked like a mini raccoon, enraged and bedeviled. Gaara tried to attack Shikamaru again, when a blur appeared out of the trees, an odd chirping sound could be heard screech along as Sasuke held his Chidori attack in the air, his face and body marred by ugly black markings and he rammed it straight through Gaara's ribs.

It didn't stop Gaara's fist from colliding with Shikamaru and knocking him into oblivion. Gaara screamed, an unholy sound escaped his lips, completely guttural, but not before kicking Sasuke in the chest, whose hand was stuck in the sand after the attack.

Sasuke was blown backwards next to the tree that Sakura was pinned to. Gaara was about to make another move and Naruto found himself springing to action, jumping in the way as he cocked his foot back and kicked Gaara clean across the face, sending him tumbling backwards into a tree trunk.

"Don't interfere." Sasuke interrupted, giving him a look over as he took in Naruto's new look.

"Now's not the time to be prideful. Sasuke I'll fight him while you try to get Shikamaru and Sakura to safety." Naruto ordered, glaring daggers at Sasuke.

"I want to fight him, I have to fight him." Sasuke demanded, his Sharingan eyes enraged.

"Would you risk your comrades for the fight of your life? You're ridiculous Sasuke, and your tunnel vision is gonna do nothing but get you killed." Naruto spat, his cerulean orbs giving Sasuke a look of pure contempt.

"You don't get it… he killed them all, he has to pay!" Sasuke shouted, his eyes watering with tears.

"He's not Itachi." Naruto replied gently.

He understood the Uchiha's mentality. He felt he had to take on the strongest opponents until he defeated them because only then would he feel strong enough to beat Itachi, the brother that massacred his entire clan.

Sasuke's Sharingan eyes spun faster, a calculated scowl marred the Uchiha's handsome face. "Shut up, you know nothing! I have to beat him, I don't have time to worry about Sakura or anyone else, not you or sensei. I have to fight alone, live alone, and die alone. Now get out of my way or I'll kill you too." Sasuke shouted out.

Rather than argue with him, Naruto punched him in the face as hard as he could. Sasuke fell to the ground, glaring at Naruto. If looks could kill, he'd be in the afterlife with his father right now. "This is the last time I'm going to tell you Uchiha Sasuke, now is not the time to be full of pride. I'm full of chakra and you're about to kill yourself from exhaustion. I'm going to fight Gaara, you're going to save Sakura and Shikamaru, and if I die, then you can kill yourself fighting Gaara, but until then I suggest you either rescue them, or I'll beat you to death." Naruto threatened.

Before they could say anything, Gaara tackled Naruto, ramming his entire body into the blonde as they flew off the branch and into the air. "You cannot save the girl, she is for mother to kill. Only by killing me can you save her." Gaara announced, smirking smugly.

"Then I'll have to kill you, the ratio of Suna's losses will just keep adding up." Naruto replied, kicking Gaara in the stomach though it was ineffective as Gaara swung his claws at Naruto, catching him in the stomach, grazing him badly enough to cause a little bit of bleeding.

The two shinobi crashed to the earth, Naruto losing his breath and his lungs worked overtime to try to regain his breath. Jumping backwards, he avoided the wave of sand Gaara launched his way.

Naruto went through as many strategies as he could while avoiding all the sand Gaara shot. Grabbing some shuriken, he launched them in an attempt to distract Gaara but the sand automatically came up to his defense batting them away as if mere child's play.

"Kuso." Naruto cursed. He wasn't as fast as Sasuke been in the fight, he didn't have the leisure of copy all of Lee's taijutsu for that. He wasn't too keen on using the Kyuubi, and the sand kept blocking him from even hurting Gaara.

Grabbing a kunai, he sprinted as fast as he could towards Gaara, faster than Gaara himself and leapt up in the air, intent on driving the kunai through one of Gaara's eyes, but Gaara smiled and batted him out of the air, sending him crashing into some trees.

Gaara attempted to grab him with the sand, and probably use that Sand Coffin move, but Naruto strafed left, leaping away from it, and tossing a kunai at Gaara. Rather than batting it away, Gaara let it hit his sand harmlessly, and was about to launch it back when Naruto spoke out, "Boom!"

Gaara looked and saw that there was a fat roll of explosive notes wrapped around the handle of the kunai. His eyes widened in fear and was blown backwards as a large explosion rocked his body, sending sand flying everywhere, mixed with Gaara's own blood.

Gaara screamed as he stood up, looking at his badly damaged arm, nearly completely mangled and he pumped demonic chakra in an attempt to heal it. Naruto looked at the damage and saw the explosion had blown off a good bit of Gaara's forearm, the skin charred revealing the burnt muscle and bone underneath. His right hand was missing his index and middle finger. Perhaps he really shouldn't have rolled twenty explosive notes around one kunai.

"UZUMAKI NARUTO, FUCK YOU!!!" Gaara screamed, and succumbed to the demon in him, his whole body encompassed in sand as he became a mini tanuki. Gaara charged forward firing sand bullets as he went. Naruto tried avoiding the sand bullets but some struck him in his arms and legs causing a little bit of bruising and bleeding.

He didn't know what he was doing, he felt as someone else was taking over, but he thrusted his right hand out, and began pooling as much chakra as he could in it, similar to Sasuke's Chidori. The chakra began to swirl and form a sphere, swishing around to form a miniature blue vortex inside the sphere.

He continued powering it up, and launched himself at Gaara. He had no idea what was going on, all he knew was that Gaara had to die.

"RASENGAN!!!"

A/N: Let me know what you think. I'll let you know if I plan on updating again sometime. Updates will be sporadic most likely if you're lucky. Sorry.


	2. Chapter 2

Civil War: The Blood of Fallen Heroes

Chapter 2: Rise of Konoha

By: Daniel Nieves

Author's Note: In a lot of ways I rushed this chapter out when I first released it and didn't do it justice. This chapter is a modification of it's previous versions to change characters around a little bit and add a few scenes here and there. I hope you enjoy it. Currently I'm still deployed in the Middle East but hopefully I'll have more time to write. I really do want to finish the last chapter of Requiem but there's a massive writer's block in writing the last couple of closing scenes as I try to set up the sequel in perfectly.

I

"_Rasengan!"_

Naruto awoke, gasping for breath. He had been dreaming again, of the day he had defeated the Suna Jinchuuriki, Sabaku no Gaara, vessel of the Shukaku no Ichibi. Three years had passed since that day, and Naruto still dreamed of the sequence of events that led him to his fate now. That day changed everything and he wasn't sure how it had happened.

The sixteen year old jounin rose out of bed and headed out towards his bathroom to take a shower and brush his teeth before taking his team over to the Godaime Hokage to see what bullshit mission he wanted him and his genin to do. The famed and now recognized son of Namikaze Minato, Yondaime Hokage clambered into the shower, before turning on the hot water to let it spray over his muscular body and relieve him of the tension he felt.

That fateful day, life had changed for Naruto. The night before the chuunin exams, there had been a strange occurrence and for the life of him he couldn't recall what it was, but when he awoke, he had known things, things he shouldn't have known, secrets buried within the annals of Konoha that should have never seen the day of light.

That day he had found out the he was the bastard son of the Fourth, that his father had sealed a Nine Tailed Demon Fox inside his stomach and died leaving him to fight alone in a dark world full of shinobi. He had known jutsus he shouldn't of known, like the Rasengan, and since other jutsus began to fall into his hands at a dangerous rate.

Shortly after he had realized that he had an affinity for fuuton, the most powerful element there was. After a year and a half of harsh training, he had taken his wind manipulation to levels unheard of for Konoha ninja. He had accomplished what even his father hadn't, he was able to incorporate elemental charka to the Rasengan and built on that, in turn creating a fierce new S-class jutsu that utterly destroyed everything in its path.

Including Naruto himself.

That day, the Sandaime Hokage had died in his fight against Orochimaru, a treacherous shinobi who had been part of the Densetsu no Sannin. He alongside Jiraiya and Tsunade had almost defeated Hanzou, the feared leader of Amegakure. Each of the three were S-class if not above, most likely stronger than the current Godaime Hokage.

Before the chuunin exams, Naruto had never met the man, but apparently he had been the supreme commander of ANBU. His name was Danzou and he had risen to the spot of Fire Shadow and Konoha was never the same.

Progress had been good for the country, despite the invasion. Danzou had immediately summoned up Konoha's forces and they had conquered and enslaved Sunagakure, and all the lands in between, making Konoha the largest military nation in the country. Sunagakure was no more, all the territory had been annexed by Danzou and claimed as Konoha's land.

Once Danzou had conquered Suna and Rice Country, the country that had housed Orochimaru and the village that instigated the invasion, Konoha had become so massive none of the other three countries had dared to escalate war against them. Orochimaru was sent running with his tail tucked between his legs.

But so much blood had been spilled in the process, and Naruto had become a glorified murderer in the process. Danzou had known of his status as Jinchuuriki and used him to level everything in his path along with the elite shinobi of Konoha.

He couldn't tell you how many he had murdered, how many husbands he had ripped away from loving wifes, how many mothers he had killed leaving orphans in his wake. He was haunted, utterly haunted by it, but there was nothing he could do.

Ultimately he was a shinobi of Konohagakure and it was part of his life. This had become his shinobi way. Besides being the tool for the most prominent country he didn't mind nor complain much, he had gotten accustomed to killing and that he could do in spades. His training regiment had increased tenfold and Kakashi and Jiraiya had truly become his senseis, pushing him to the limit as they harnessed his power for Danzou.

But they had lost Sasuke in the process.

The raven haired shinobi had never really been friends with Naruto. Naruto had admired him until he realized what he was, he had been an avenger with hatred running through his veins that he hadn't cared about who he hurt in the process. A few months after both he and Naruto making chuunin, Sasuke had snapped and tried to kill the Hokage before fleeing for his safety.

He had been declared a B-class nukenin and he hadn't been heard from since. No search parties had been sent after him, but a two million ryou bounty had been placed on his head.

Their other teammate Haruno Sakura had disappeared along with him leaving Naruto with no team.

Not that he cared anymore. At fourteen years old he had been powerful and smart enough to make jounin, he had impressed the hell out of Danzou and his senseis. His speed and power were unmatched as well as his prowess in ninjutsu. Sure he was still weak at genjutsu and above average in taijutsu, but that was due to the years of neglect at the academy that had left him with horrible rudimentary forms and katas. He had improved but the street brawler style of fighting was what he preferred vice the Goken or other forms of taijutsu Konohagakure taught.

Right before his sixteenth birthday, he had been given a team of fresh genin out of the academy and though to him it was a waste of potential, he hadn't complained. Months later they were still growing on him, he had the grandson of the Sandaime Konohamaru, a nerdy genin by the name of Udon, and a hyperactive redhead kunoichi by the name of Moegi.

Life now was good he guessed. He really couldn't complain too much, despite the amount of killing he did but he was almost as powerful as his father and the Akatsuki had disappeared off the face of the map for a while.

He had heard of 'Red Dawn' a mysterious group of powerful terrorists who were collecting bijuu for their purposes. But after Konoha's domination, Naruto hadn't heard from them since. Jiraiya had chased after them, intent on keeping his godson safe, and Naruto hadn't hung out with the old pervert in months, so that kind of sucked but it was another essential part of being a shinobi.

Naruto climbed out of the shower feeling a lot better than he had when he had stepped inside of it and dressed in his simple jounin attire. Wrapping his hitai-ate around his forehead and tying it, he slid his hands into fingerless gloves and headed out of his estate. Climbing up onto the rooftops, he took off sprinting onto the roofs of Konoha, and arrived onto the bridge leading to Training Grounds Seven, where once a long time ago, he had been tied to a post by Hatake Kakashi.

Such naivety he had then…

"YOU'RE LATE!" Moegi and Konohamaru shouted angrily pointing their fingers at him accusingly.

Naruto shrugged and gave them a smile. "Only an hour this time." He replied warmly.

"Why are you always late sensei?" Udon asked, a comical looking line of snot hanging from his nose.

"Well you see, I was with my wife and she made me carry the groceries from the store to our house on the other side of Konoha." Naruto lied, his eyes closing into what looked like a fox like manner.

"Sensei, you're not even married." Moegi accused, before shaking her head and letting out a small chuckle.

"How are you one of the best jounin in Konoha if you're always this late to everything?" Konohamaru asked, his eyes lighting up in fury. "I can't believe I used to look up to you and call you nii-chan."

Naruto laughed and placed his head onto the boy's head in a placating manner, like Kakashi used to do to him, knowing how much it had infuriated him. "Now, now Konohamaru-kun, you shouldn't say such things to your sensei and nii-chan." Naruto pointed out, his voice laced with sarcasm.

"I'll show you!" Konohamaru cried outraged, slapping away Naruto's hand and jumping backwards, away from the blonde. Putting his hand into the ram hand seal, he cried out, "Oiroke no Jutsu!" Konohamaru shouted and a cloud of smoke exploded around him and when the smoke dissipated there was a sexy brunette in a birthday suit with nothing to cloud over her. Konohamaru quickly crossed his arms in front of him and bent low to cover his lower region.

"Well I'll be damned." Naruto said with a foxy smirk. A little bit of blood hung from the corner of his nose and he quickly wiped it away.

"You shouldn't stare at me like that Naruto-sama, you're making me red." Konohamaru whispered seductively into his ear and Naruto slapped him upside the head hard and dispelled the illusion.

"Don't make such a mockery of my first original jutsu, I'll show you the real deal." Naruto spat out and before he could move an ANBU guard shun shinned in front of them.

"You shouldn't do such things, Naruto-sama, they are beneath you and offensive to women." The female ANBU informed him and he immediately recognized her as Uzuki Yugao. He had worked with her on a few assassination missions during his six month stint in the ANBU.

"Don't call me such things, it makes you so much hotter, Neko-chan." Naruto replied smirking slightly. The cat masked kunoichi froze and Naruto could feel the beginnings of killer intent so he raised his hands up in surrender. "Ne, gomen-nasai Neko. I'm assuming you're here because the Godaime wants me for something?" he asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"Hai, immediately at that." Uzuki informed him. She gave him a small bow and then disappeared in a flash.

"Let's go, ero-sensei." Konohamaru piped up and Naruto glared at the younger genin. The four of them began to head over to the Hokage Tower, and arrived there four minutes later due to Naruto strangling Konohamaru for two of them.

As soon as Naruto and his genin team entered the office, the Godaime looked up from his paperwork and spoke, "Leave the genin outside for a moment." He ordered quietly, and Naruto motioned for them to head outside.

Once they had shut the door and the privacy seals were engaged, Naruto knelt on one knee and spoke, "How may I be of service, Hokage-sama?"

Looking the Godaime directly in the eyes, he awaited a response. "Stand up Naruto-kun, there is no need for such formalities, you are after all the heir to this kingdom I have built." Danzou stated smoothly.

Naruto stood up completely. "What can I do for you Danzou-sama?" Naruto asked politely.

The Hokage motioned for him to sit in front of him and Naruto obliged, and watched cautiously as the Fifth Fire Shadow reached into his drawer and pulled out a bottle of sake and two small ceramic cups. Naruto sat rigidly, and watched as his Commander in Chief poured two drinks and handed him a cup.

Refusing to be rude, he put the cup to his lips and drained the rice wine, avoiding coughing as the wine set aflame his throat and innards. Finally, the Hokage spoke again, looking at Naruto through one calm eye. "Do you see me as a cruel Hokage?" Danzou asked simply and Naruto watched him even more warily.

While it was not uncommon for him to have idle chit chat with the elder Hokage, he never saw this question coming. Naruto looked at the Godaime, who while was probably the strongest in the village, looked completely unassuming with half his face bandaged up, leaving his hair in clumps spiking up out of his head and a weird X shaped scar on his chin. This man had seen many battles, and he too had probably taken many lives.

"Why do you ask me that?" Naruto asked cautiously.

"Because many see me as a tyrant and many more will do so in the future, so Naruto-kun, do you see me as a cruel Hokage?" he repeated.

"Hokage-sama, that in itself is a tough question. You are the leader of a three nation dynasty called Fire Country. Who am I to judge what you've done or what we've done to get there?" Naruto asked.

"You are my right hand man Naruto, heir to the throne and future Rokudaime. Your opinion matters most to me than any civilian or any slave that we've made. Now please, answer the question." Danzou said gravely.

"As Hokage, I believe cruelty cannot be avoided at times. We are shinobi, niceness and mercifulness will only kill us in the long run. I, in your name have slaughtered many, conquered lands but all in the name of Hi no Kuni, and ultimately all we've done is for the people of Konoha, therefore no I do not see you as cruel." Naruto stated calmly. "At times you can be cold, manipulative, deceitful, and arrogant, but all for the good of Konoha." He added and Danzou gave him a calculating glance.

"Ah, then you have no illusion of me being a 'perfect' Hokage, like the illusion you had of Sarutobi-sama?" Danzou asked.

"Sarutobi-sama was a good Hokage, and a good man. He may have been deceitful to me at times, but not once in my whole life could I say he never looked out for me and had the best of intentions as well." Naruto stated, affirming Danzou's question.

"Good. If I would have had it my way, I would have taken you in long ago Naruto-kun, but Sarutobi feared what affect I would have on your mental psyche, seeing as how I'm best known for making emotionless shinobi. Though perhaps it had been best, to allow you to have a childhood, because now here you stand stronger than ever, which is why I have brought you here now." Danzou informed him.

"Then please let me know what I can do for you." Naruto replied calmly, pouring more sake out of the saucer. Lifting the cup to his lips, he drank the wine slowly.

"I have brought you here, because we have conquered a mass amount of land. We have destroyed Otogakure, and Sunagakure and took their land as punishment for their defiance. While the remainder shinobi are under our rule, some have not gone quietly, and Gaara and Orochimaru have fled to Iwagakure, our biggest enemy and talks of rebellion have started. I believe Sasuke to be there as well, and in maintaining the land, we will need strong leaders in each nation to amass a military rule and make strategic plans to destroy those who want to destroy our peace.

"Kakashi is already in route to Rice Country, and he will be their Kage of sorts. I brought you here to make you the Kage in Kaze no Kuni. You and Kakashi are the best in Konoha and it is only fitting for you to be promoted." Danzou stated, his voice laced with a little bit of flattery.

"Hai, I will make you and Hi no Kuni proud, Danzou-sama." Naruto confirmed.

Danzou sighed slowly. "I know you would agree, but there is a part of the mission you may not like." Danzou stated.

Naruto glanced up at the elder Kage and pursed his lips. "What is that?" Naruto asked.

"In order to squash the rebellion that threatened to rise in both nations, you were also selected to marry Temari, the Yondaime Kazekage's daughter and have offspring, in order to seal the deal with the people. With you leading them as well, it will be much easier to maintain the peace, Kakashi has been instructed to do the same in Rice Country." Danzou stated calmly, waiting for Naruto's reaction.

Naruto furrowed his brows. "I'm much too young, and I have no desire for political marriage." He protested, his lips forming an angry line on his face, marring his handsome features.

"I know this Naruto-kun. But what would you have me do, slaughter the rebellion and then get blind sided by Iwa and Orochimaru. If we do this, internal peace can be attained and we can fight off our enemies as one united country." Danzou stated.

"Why me, why not someone else like the sons of the clan heads?" Naruto insisted.

"Naruto-kun, because you'll be leading them it must be you. Have I ever lied to you, or assigned you to something I didn't think suited you best?" Danzou asked, and Naruto shook his head. "After the Sandaime's death, it was I that announced your heritage and made the village understand your burden and now you are seen as a hero, everything I've done has helped you, and I have never lied, unlike the Sandaime." He added and Naruto sighed deeply.

"Hai Danzou-sama, I understand my debt to you now. I will marry Temari, not because I want to, but because it will benefit you and Konoha. I will give offspring to continue the Namikaze line and then our debt will be paid." Naruto stated, closing his eyes wearily.

"I am not asking you to marry Temari because you owe me anything. I am asking you to marry Temari for Konoha's future. I know you love Konoha as much as I do, and there isn't anything I wouldn't do for Konoha, how devoted are you to it?" Danzou asked.

"I have murdered men, women, and children alike for you and this country. Is it really necessary to ask how large my devotion is?' Naruto asked.

"Then marry Temari and become their Kage. We must all sacrifice for the tree of Konoha. I have sacrificed my youth, my eye and my lovers for Konoha." Danzou confessed, looking at Naruto through his sole onyx colored eye.

"Hai Danzou-sama. For the good of Konoha I will marry her." Naruto resigned. "What of Kakashi, you do know he's with Anko right?" Naruto asked.

"I care not if you or him have numerous concubine or mistresses. As long as your wives bear your children, it is of no consequence to me." Danzou stated gruffly.

"Alright, I will let my genin know I am departing then." Naruto replied.

"There is no need, you will take them and seven shinobi of your choosing with you. Choose wisely, Naruto-kun." Danzou advised.

Naruto contemplated it for a second. "I want Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Chouji, Yuuhi Kurenai, Sarutobi Asuma, Kotetsu and Izumo." Naruto replied.

Danzou raised his eyebrow at him. "Why Kotetsu and Izumo?" he asked.

"Someone's gotta stand watch." Naruto replied curtly and Danzou actually let out a laugh.

"Fine, I expect this mission to take between a year or two. When you return and the mission is complete and the war is over, I shall step down and you will take my place as Hokage and bring peace to this world. Make me proud Naruto." Danzou responded genuinely.

Naruto nodded and stood up. "Inform the seven shinobi and give them a day to say goodbye to friends and family. The genin and I will take our leave now." Naruto said calmly and stood in attention before bringing his right hand up to his temple and saluting. Danzou nodded and Naruto walked out of the Hokage's office and found his genin sitting in the waiting lobby.

Naruto motioned them with two fingers for them to follow him and they headed outside. As soon as they were outside Naruto stopped them and he pressed his index finger on Konohamaru's head. "Alright kids, here's the deal. Tonight we leave for Sunagakure, and we're staying there for a year or two." He bit out plainly.

"What? What's that supposed to mean, ero-sensei?" Konohamaru asked. Naruto bristled at this and flicked the boy on the forehead.

"Iwagakure may attack there so the Godaime chose me to become the Kage over there and lead the people in case of military attack from Iwa. You three will be my students as well as bodyguards and I will train you and make you strong and you will kill those that threaten what we've established. Do you understand?" Naruto asked roughly.

Moegi, Udon, and Konohamaru immediately snapped to attention. "Hai, sensei." They chanted simultaneously.

"Alright, it's only ten in the morning and we leave at sunset. You are to say goodbye to your loved ones, pack up everything you will need and I suggest you use those storage scrolls I gave you so we can travel as light as possible. Meet me at the front gate at sunset, do not be late." Naruto ordered, a steely gaze in his cerulean eyes.

"So says the tardy sensei." Konohamaru said, letting out a small chuckle.

Naruto leveled his steely cerulean eyes onto him. "I'm not sure if you understand the gravity of the situation Konoha-chan, but outside these gates you will be under attack and you will die if you don't start acting like a shinobi. All of you must take this seriously or I'll let you die. I cannot have a bunch of idiot kids playing shinobi endanger the whole group's life. Do you understand me now?" Naruto snarled, his face in a scowl.

Konohamaru froze immediately and a panicked look struck his features. "I understand sensei." Konohamaru spoke softly, tears building up in the corners of his eyes.

"I'm sorry if this upsets you, but unless you've fought in a war you will not understand the gravity of this situation. I must be harsh and cruel at times with you, because while in peacetime a loving, caring sensei is fine, now is not a time of peace. People will die, a lot of them, whether you kill them or not, and if you slack up for one second, just one, it will be you that dies. It will be this team, even me that will die. We must be on guard and do what is necessary…

"For the good of Konoha." Naruto finished, his voice grave.

Knowing now that they truly understood him, Naruto turned his back on them and headed off. He could tell that they all disappeared after that, he could feel the traces of charka left by the shunshin and he continued onward, disappearing a swirl of leaves and arriving at his estate a few seconds later. Sealing away all his clothes, jutsu scrolls and weaponry five minutes later, he took the moment to sit on his couch, a instant cup of ramen in his hands as he contemplated his future.

He barely even remembered Temari. The last time he'd seen her was three years ago during the Chuunin exams and she really hadn't caught his eye then. Of course he couldn't deny she was strong, or even sort of pretty. He remembered she had her hair in that stupid four pigtailed fashion, but she too like him had been a wind user.

But how was he supposed to go through with this, he was only sixteen and he was assigned to marry a girl he hadn't had any interest in three years ago. He hadn't cared for the female species since Sakura's betrayal, because her actions regardless if she understood the severity of it, had destroyed his heart worse than any Chidori could do.

He never had forgotten that day two and a half years ago.

…

"_What are you doing Sasuke? Sakura-chan?" Naruto demanded, standing in front of them as they were about to leap over the South fence, the easiest one to get through. Naruto had just left Ichiraku and had seen them running, and with them being his teammates, he had taken chase after them to find out they were trying to escape from Konoha._

"_Get out of the way, dobe." Sasuke growled out, his onyx eyes melting into crimson with two tomes in each eye._

"_No, not until you tell me what's going on. Are you on a mission or something?" Naruto demanded._

"_Get out of the way, or I'll kill you!" Sasuke spat, the raven haired chuunin stuck out his hand and it began to emit sparks as he began the beginning of his attack, the Chidori._

"_I don't think so, Sakura please tell me what's going on." Naruto pleaded, his cerulean eyes burning into her emerald ones._

"_I can't Naruto… you wouldn't understand, so please step aside, we have to get going." Sakura replied sadly._

"_Are you leaving the village for good and becoming nuke-nins?" Naruto demanded._

_Rather than answering, Sasuke disappeared in a flash, reappearing in front of Naruto with his hand screeching with lightning chakra as he attempted to thrust it into Naruto's chest. Naruto saw it coming and grabbed his wrist, searing some flesh but avoiding the trajectory of the attack._

_Growling in anger, the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki thrust his palm into Sasuke's chin knocking him backwards. "You are, aren't you? You're going to abandon Konoha after everything, and leave me behind. I thought we were a team." Naruto replied softly._

_Sasuke stood up again, shaking with rage. "We were, but you've joined his side now. You betrayed me Naruto by becoming the Hokage's dog. Yes, we are abandoning Konoha, but you, you abandoned us. You do not understand the depths of my hatred right now, because you're so blissfully ignorant, following the Godaime's orders like a tamed house pet. No more for me, now I know, and now I will kill you for your betrayal." Sasuke shouted out._

"_I don't understand. What has the Godaime done?" Naruto asked. Looking back at Sakura, he reached out to her, "Sakura-chan please, don't go, I love you." Naruto begged._

_Sakura reached out for him as well and before he could reach her, Sasuke appeared in front of him slicing through his throat with his kunai and blood sprayed Sasuke's face. Naruto grunted, blood gurgling in his throat._

_Tears spilled down his face and he fell flat on his face._

...

She had destroyed his heart. She had deceived him, forcing him to drop his guard leaving him wide open for Sasuke to slice his throat. Sasuke had almost killed him then, or probably had but the Kyuubi had saved him. Danzou had saved him, and for that Naruto was ever grateful.

He'd marry Temari, but he would never love her.

Pushing away memories he didn't really want to think about, he stood up and tossed the empty ramen cup into the trash.

With Kakashi and Jiraiya gone, that took away a majority of the people he even really wanted to say goodbye to, short of the few remainders of the Rookie 12. He was taking the Ino-Shika-Cho team so there was no point in saying goodbye to them, so he decided to see if he could find the second person he could recall caring about.

Heading over to the Academy, he headed in through the back entrance and found Iruka leaning against the wall, deep in thought. Once he saw Naruto, he immediately brightened up and waved at him. "Hey Naruto, how are you?" he asked.

Naruto waved back and smiled at him. "I wanted to drop by for a visit, and say goodbye." Naruto stated.

"Goodbye, I'm afraid I don't understand Naruto." Iruka said frowning.

"Godaime-sama has made me a Kage of sorts in Suna. Kakashi is also taking over Oto." Naruto explained.

Iruka's jaw dropped for a second. "No way. I can't believe it, I'm happy for you Naruto." Iruka said, clasping the teen around the back and pulling him into a hug. Naruto hugged him warmly and Iruka released him.

"You want to buy me some goodbye ramen?" Naruto asked smiling.

"Do you always come up with excuses to get me to buy you ramen?" Iruka replied.

"Yeah I got to, someone's gotta keep you broke." Naruto responded, and the two walked off to Ichiraku.

II

Naruto finished tying the scroll off on the messenger courier bird on its leg and released it for flight, watching at the small hawk leapt into the air, flapping its wings before zooming off into the distance. He stood patiently awaiting for his genin to arrive, he understood that they had a lot of people they wanted to say goodbye to which is why he had chosen to begin the mission at sunset.

After leaving Ichiraku's with Iruka he had said goodbye to the original rookies he had once started out with and then he had stocked up on his weapons and bought a few more outfits and had headed over to the gates half an hour early just so he could head off as soon as they arrived.

He didn't have to wait long as his three genin arrived with morose and depressed looks on their faces. "Cheer up." Naruto stated calmly as they strode over to him. They immediately wiped the looks off their faces. "Shinobi must not show emotions when it counts, enemies can us against them." Naruto pointed out.

"So to be good shinobi, we can't have emotions?" Konohamaru asked.

"Far from it. Emotions make us human and we need to have them to preserve sanity. But at times, you have to bury them and cast them aside when a mission requires it. This mission will require you at times to bury away that humanity and become nothing more than a sharpened tool for the village's use." Naruto replied.

They nodded. "Are you ready for this sensei?" Moegi asked.

"Hai, always ready." Naruto replied with a small smile.

The four of them departed, and began their trek through Konoha's lush forests for the next couple of hours until they reached the borders of southern Fire country. Naruto signaled for the group to stop. "Let's stop here for the night. I'll have my kage bunshin stand watch while you sleep." Naruto explained.

"Hai, sensei." The genin pulled out a scroll and unfurled them before swiping bloody thumbs across the paper and there was an explosion of smoke and tents appeared. The genin spent the next few minutes setting up their tents and Naruto summoned his, which was already set up.

Naruto disappeared after summoning twenty clones and they set up in the trees. Naruto passed out.

…

The next morning Naruto awoke first and let the genin sleep till ten a.m. before waking them up after blowing a shrill whistle causing them to stumble out of their tents sleepily. "What is it sensei?" Udon asked, stifling a yawn.

Konohamaru had a tired expression on his face as well as Moegi who was still clad in her sleepwear. "Really pajamas?" Naruto asked, raising his eyebrow at her.

"They're more comfortable." Moegi responded, yawning, her red hair sticking out in places and fussed up.

"So let's say an enemy had attacked while we slept, how fast do you think you could of gotten to your kunai and shuriken before they killed you? But then again, being comfortable does count for something." Naruto deadpanned and Moegi blushed crimson.

The three genin shut up and stood there waiting for Naruto to speak again. He let out a pregnant pause, and started pondering before he spoke again. "Alright, eat up and we'll be on the move again, we can make it tonight at midnight if we hurry up." Naruto ordered.

"But sensei, we're still tired after yesterday." Konohamaru complained and panicked when he saw Naruto smirk.

"I know, think of this as training. You're still weak, all of you. You have shitty stamina and horrible chakra control. By forcing you to use chakra over and over as we run all day, you will build your stamina as well as control over chakra. How are you supposed to protect me if you can't protect yourselves?" Naruto asked.

"Aye aye sensei." Udon replied in a defeated tone.

"After this mission, you may hate my guts, hell you might want me dead yourself but you will be strong and you will be better shinobi." Naruto stated emphatically.

With the motion of his fingers the four of them immediately took off into the trees.

III

"Wake up Sasuke-kun." A voice ordered and Sasuke immediately leapt from his bed, his katana in his hands and blade pressed against the neck of the intruder.

"Now, now, calm down, there will be more time for that later." The intruder spoke.

Sasuke immediately recognized the man with his silky voice and silver hair. Brown eyes hidden behind spectacles, and a confident smile on the intruders lips. It was Yakushi Kabuto. "Why have you come and intruded into my quarters?" he demanded harshly, his eyes bleeding into red as the Sharingan was activated.

"Sasuke what's going on?" another voice called out and Sasuke's eyes swiveled temporarily to see Sakura, his main lover come out of the bathroom, her hair disheveled and stomach bloated from the pregnancy.

"Nothing you need to worry about, go back to bed Sakura." Sasuke ordered quietly, never taking his eyes away from Kabuto. Staring him dead on to address him, Sasuke spoke, "Outside, let's go."

Kabuto nodded and turned to head outside with Sasuke behind him.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked once they were outside.

"Orochimaru would like for you to battle someone today." Kabuto replied silkily, hoping to get the teen's interest.

"I don't have time for such nonsense, I have to train." Sasuke replied, and began to turn away when Kabuto stopped him with an arm on his shoulder. "I suggest you remove that hand, or I'll take it as a spoil of battle." Sasuke suggested dangerously.

"Trust me when I say you'll want to do this. The person you are to fight, is one of the only people to have ever beaten you…Sabaku no Gaara." Kabuto replied hastily, letting go of Sasuke's shoulder.

"Gaara's here?" Sasuke asked skeptically.

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama captured him as a ploy to annoy the Akatsuki, hoping to lure Itachi here. But he was severely weakened in the battle and the Tsuchikage is here as well for the official status of alliance. You are to prove our power and fight Gaara." Kabuto stated, a sickeningly sweet grin on his face.

"Gaara…hn. I never did pay him back for last time, Naruto beat him." Sasuke mused.

"Where is he at?" Sasuke demanded, an evil look crossing his face.

"The battle atrium. Be there in five minutes." Kabuto ordered softly.

Kabuto turned to go, but Sasuke stopped with the katana aimed swiftly at his neck. "The next time you enter my quarters like that…"

He paused and his Sharingan spun madly.

"I will kill you."

…

Sasuke entered the battle atrium which was really more a coliseum than anything, and took in the familiar surroundings. The battle atrium had tall trees mixed with rocky terrain to serve a purpose of training. Sasuke had been in here many times with the Sound Five and they had helped him achieve the level he was at. He was powerful, so much more powerful than he'd been at Konoha.

Konoha had held him back, sent him on stupid mission to save drunken bridge builders and put him on display but it had never given him the tools he needed to destroy Itachi. They had promoted him to chuunin and then the time for training was even more limited as fat daimyous and governors hired him weekly because he was the famed Uchiha.

Then Naruto began showing him up as well.

The day of the Chuunin Exam Finals Naruto had been different. He had been smarter, more tactical and used an array of jutsus he'd never seen. He had defeated Hyuuga Neji easily, despite the ninja's doujutsu and Gentle Fist taijutsu. Then he had appeared and defeated Gaara using a legendary jutsu created by the Fourth Hokage.

The following months he had become more distant from Team Seven as a new Hokage was chosen and Naruto became the Hokage's personal shinobi. As the war began Naruto became the war hero that had leveled Otogakure and Sunagakure using the Kyuubi sealed away within him. He had cast a shadow on Sasuke and Sakura that had been inescapable shadow on his teammates and Sasuke had continued to struggle to catch up to his level. He hadn't been able to and when Orochimaru and the Sound Five approached him with the prospect of Sasuke leaving Konoha for good and becoming stronger he had accepted.

Sakura had overheard and begged for him to take her with him and he had agreed, because he knew that after he killed Itachi, he would need someone to carry the name of Uchiha. Sakura was his friend, a confidant, and his lover and the two years had made her stronger, stronger than she'd been in Konoha and now she was pregnant with his child.

She was six months pregnant now and it wouldn't be long before his child would be born. He would give birth to a strong baby boy who would erase the shame of his clan along with his father. Sasuke smiled at the idea.

Standing on the rough terrain by the trees was Sabaku no Gaara, the former Godaime Kazekage of Sunagakure. He had an angry scowl on his face, and Sasuke could understand. Orochimaru had defeated him and then kidnapped him, bringing him to their hideout in Iwagakure. He still had the infamous red hair he remembered and sad teal eyes. Rather than wearing clothes best suited for the desert, he had on brown pants with a tight, black shirt and a brown jounin vest.

Immediately Sasuke understood the reasoning behind it.

Gaara hadn't been in the desert, he'd been sneaking through Stone Country and Orochimaru had caught him. Ever since Konoha had annexed Suna, Gaara had gone missing and formed a radical freedom fighters group aimed at destroying the control Konoha had over Suna and Oto.

From what Orochimaru mentioned to Sasuke during training, Gaara had managed to nab some really strong shinobi for his cause including two Jinchuuriki. This had frustrated Orochimaru to no end, and he imagined it must of pissed off Akatsuki to have three Jinchuuriki under the same cause, making it harder to obtain them.

Sasuke knew a lot more about the Akatsuki now, mainly because Orochimaru had been part of the organization at one point and had a lot of useful info to give to Sasuke. Otherwise Sasuke probably would have killed him by now, once having acquired all of his jutsus. Sasuke knew of Orochimaru's plans to take over his body and he wasn't going to let that happen, he just had to let Orochimaru think he was going to kindly hand his body over after killing Itachi.

"Uchiha Sasuke…" Gaara spoke, leveling him with his eyes. He didn't sound angry, bitter, or quite plainly homicidal as Sasuke once remembered him.

"Sabaku no Gaara." Sasuke replied, giving the Jinchuuriki a small bow.

"So this is how low you've stooped Uchiha?" Gaara replied and Sasuke gritted his teeth in anger for a second. "You betrayed your village to hide under a rock, and they called you a genius…" Gaara taunted smoothly, a small smirk rising to his lips.

This was definitely not the Gaara he remembered. "At least I still have a village, unlike you. You were defeated by my old, weak village and they took everything over. Do you know how they treat your people over there?" Sasuke replied and waited for Gaara to bristle. He didn't.

"Yes, but that will change, all in time Uchiha Sasuke. But the real reason you're here now in front of me, is not to reminisce or trash talk each other. You're here because you've never defeated me, you couldn't back then and now you have me here in front of me, weakened because now you can. You're a disgrace to your clan, but then again, your clan was a disgrace anyway. Hate me, prove your existence now by killing me, Uchiha. Show me who you really are." Gaara commanded.

"My clan was never a disgrace!" Sasuke spat, summoning up lightning energy to his hands.

"Still the same tricks?"

"I will show you the extent of my hatred." Sasuke whispered softly.

"Show me." Gaara commanded, summoning up a wave of sand to swirl around him.

III

Naruto motioned for his genin to halt. Konohamaru, Udon, and Moegi skidded across the sand, gasping for breath as sand swirled up around their faces. Luckily for them Naruto had brought several of the masks Kakashi liked to wear and had given one for each of his genin because he knew that since they were newbies, they had never seen the sandy winds of Kaze no Kuni for themselves.

While they were protected from inhaling the sand, ultimately it didn't make it easier to breathe as the sand smothered them.

In front of them was the entrance to the hidden sand, there was no gate but a narrow passageway in between two towering sand dunes where the ANBU hid at. As Naruto and his genin team approached the Anbu leapt out of the dunes and surrounded him but not in a threatening matter.

"Naruto-sama, we hoped you had an uneventful trip." One of the ANBU spoke up.

"Hai, no enemies spotted. Do you have an office already set up to begin the workload?" Naruto asked.

"Yes Naruto-sama. Everything is already prepared for you. You have a small estate in the center of the village and it will be your house as well as your workplace. You will access to messenger birds and anything you request. Temari-sama is also waiting for you in your chambers. Is there anything your require right now Naruto-sama?" the Inu masked ANBU asked.

"Nothing, perhaps a few hours of rest for me and my team." Naruto stated.

"Hai, you are the leader. Please rest as much as needed." Inu replied.

"Alright, assemble all the shinobi tomorrow for a meeting as well as to introduce myself." Naruto ordered.

Inu nodded and disappeared in a flash of leaves.

Naruto turned to his genin team and motioned for them to move forward. The remainder of the ANBU dispersed. "Do you know where the estate is at sensei?" Moegi asked shyly.

"Hai, it's at the old Kazekage building. If I remember the layout the Kazekage's office is at the top and the estate should be on the floor underneath it." Naruto explained as the four of them began heading into the city.

Suddenly the four of them stopped in their tracks surprised and mortified. All of the civilians and shinobi of the old Sunagakure rule were kneeling on the sand, prostrating to their new leader. "Long live Naruto-sama." They began chanting in murmurs.

It was almost enough to make Naruto tear up, but not from joy. These people had been so enslaved that here they kneeled in front of one of the shinobi that caused their destruction and took lives away from them. To think that the rule in Kaze no Kuni was this cruel was beyond Naruto's imagination. "Get up, don't bow to me." Naruto ordered and the crowd hesitated.

"Please don't bow, I am human like you. You people shouldn't have to suffer because of your council's mistakes." Naruto proclaimed. "Carry on."

"Hai, Naruto-sama." The crowd chanted and Naruto shook his head sadly before continuing the trek to the estate. They arrived their shortly thereafter and Naruto told his genin to rest up and meet him at noon at his office. After saying goodbye to his genin, Naruto headed onwards to his quarters.

As soon as he opened the door, Temari awaited for him sitting down on a couch. Immediately she stood up and knelt down in front of him. "Good evening, Naruto-sama. How was your trip?" she spoke politely and Naruto stood in shock. There was a veiled disgust in her tone but if he had not been an expert at reading body language, he would of never caught it. This had not been the girl he remembered three years ago.

Three years ago Temari was a fierce opponent with cruel eyes and a short temper who would bow to no one in spite of whoever she was up against. This girl in front of him, no… this woman was a mockery, some sort of shell, a husk that Temari left behind.

She was clad in a teal kimono and her face was prettier than he remembered. She looked more… feminine. No longer did she have four spiked pigtails, instead she her hair was straight and set out in a spiked ponytail with bangs covering her left eye. "Please don't kneel to me." Naruto spoke, trying to break the ice.

"But Naruto-sama, you are the supreme ruler of Kaze no Kuni, I should bow and kiss the ground you stand on." Temari spoke, a mild twinge of sarcasm in her voice. Her teal eyes were set hard with a cold, calculated stare. Her lips were pressed together in a faux smile, but Naruto pretended not to notice.

This was not the fierce, cruel warrior kunoichi he remembered.

This was a woman who lost all she had including her faith and hope. "What did they do to you?" Naruto whispered.

Temari looked up at him quizzically. "I don't understand Naruto-sama." She answered hesitantly.

"When I heard I was to be married to you, I thought the only upside was that you were one of the strongest kunoichi I knew. You, whoever you are now, I don't even know. What did they do to you?" Naruto asked.

Reaching down, he took her hand and pulled her to her feet. "I do not wish to speak of the past, it troubles me to think about it." Temari stated quietly.

"Hai. Go to bed, we'll speak tomorrow." Naruto said dismissively.

"My bed is your bed, I am your betrothed Naruto-sama." She proclaimed quietly. She had an inquisitive look to her eyes as she waited to gauge his reaction.

"Hai, you sleep in the bed and I'll take the couch." Naruto replied hastily.

"Do you not want me to service you?" Temari asked, her eyes looking almost disappointed. She peeled back the kimono and revealed her naked form. Stalking towards him real predatory like, she attempted to kiss him when his hand reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"Cut it out, I'm not interested. I don't wish to be married, but I will marry you for the sake of this alliance. Sex with you does not interest me whatsoever." Naruto admitted cruelly.

"Are you into guys, is that it, I'll dress and look more manly…" Temari stuttered out and Naruto interrupted her.

"No I'm definitely not gay. I'm just not ready to attach myself to another person more than necessary. People fail you in the end so the best way for me to be a shinobi is to no longer attach myself so much to a person that I couldn't kill them if I had to. When this war is no longer plagued by wars and internal strife, then my heart will no longer be made of stone and someone may have it, until then I must remain strong, and cold." Naruto confessed.

"So that is what they've done to you." Temari mused and Naruto scowled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto demanded, crossing his arms.

"The reason you beat me and my siblings that day was because you had a bond to protect. You cherished someone so much that you wouldn't stop until you protected that precious person. The Naruto-sama before me now has no ties, no bonds to protect, and that makes you less powerful than you once were. What happened to you?" Temari asked.

"I told you to go to bed." Naruto said, snarling.

"Gomen nasai Naruto-sama if I offended you. I shall go to sleep now but please share the bed with me and I will make no attempt to seduce you, but if we are to be betrothed then perhaps we should be comfortable living in the same quarters." Temari exclaimed.

"I have no interest in sharing a bed with you now or when we're married. Goodnight Temari-san." Naruto replied.

A sad look crossed her face and she turned and walked away without another word.

His mind clouded and storming, he decided to lie on the couch and brood over tomorrow's events.

Sleep came soon thereafter…

"Good morning Naruto-sama, I hope you're in a better mood." Temari stated, placing a hand on his shoulder to wake him.

"What time is it?" Naruto asked blearily.

"Ten in the morning, it looks like you needed a lot of rest." Temari replied, placing a warm hand on his face.

"Stop that." He mumbled out.

"I made you breakfast." Temari explained and Naruto rose up from the couch.

"Whatever, I told you I'm not interested in you and I'm only doing this for Konoha, and you can't care for me seeing as I'm the Jinchuuriki that defeated your brother and bested many of your shinobi and forced you into the position your in now. If it wasn't for me you wouldn't be a slave to Konoha. You should despise me, hate me and desire to kill me for my atrocities against Suna." Naruto said wrathfully.

"Part of me does." Temari whispered and he looked at her with wide eyes. "But I remembered that I too was a mere pawn under the Kazekage's thumb, just as you are a pawn for the Hokage. I have killed many in the name of Suna, it would be hypocritical to hate you for that. This is my final mission, to be your wife so that one day this land won't be plagued with war, and for that I will fight to the death for you. You will want me as your wife and I will be your rock to lean on. We may never love each other, but we will come to a compromise of sorts." Temari explained.

"You don't hate me?" Naruto asked nervously.

"I hate the Hokage. He's been cruel to the survivors, he annexed our land, stripped our freedom, turned the civilian women into whores and killed anyone who was outraged against the tyranny." Temari answered.

"Look, I loved a girl once. The same girl who I was trying to protect three years ago and she… she betrayed me. Since then my heart has hardened, especially in the romantic department. You might make a good wife, but after seeing you yesterday for the first time, there's one thing I can't stand…" Naruto paused.

"Please tell me, Naruto-sama. I want to be the woman you want next to you." Temari pleaded.

"You're weak. The Temari from three years ago I could trust her to handle her own in battle, this broken woman in front of me I couldn't trust to fight off a genin let alone real ninja." Naruto replied.

"I see. There are no kunoichi from the remainder female Suna survivors. Those that survived either became someone's wife or everyone's whore.

Naruto looked at her blankly. "So that's why you're all feminine…not that you weren't before, but now its like your focused solely on your looks because we made you that way. But know this, I can't marry someone weak, I have to be able to trust you can handle your own on the battlefield or you'll be my weakness. You want to be my wife Temari, then you need to train and become strong because I won't settle for some girl that can't defend herself." Naruto stated.

"But Konoha banned us and Oto from having kunoichi." Temari replied.

"I'm the leader here now. In fact I'll train you myself if I have to. But that doesn't mean I'll ever love you and I'm sorry if that bothers you. Perhaps one day, but right now there's a world that has to be changed and until that day I will be cold and perhaps cruel to some. Until this war is over my heart must remain closed." Naruto replied.

"Here eat." Temari said, offering him a plate of food.

Naruto took it graciously and gave her a small bow of appreciation before eating. "Thank you." Naruto replied and ate quietly.

"How did you want to start the day Naruto-sama?" Temari asked.

"Please don't call me that, Naruto will suit me fine. You are to be my wife after all." Naruto exclaimed with a sigh.

"Hai."

Naruto looked at her passively for a second. "I will head up to the office and you will help me adjust to the area. Plus I have something for you, think of it as a pre-wedding gift." Naruto stated and the two of them headed up to the old Kazekage's office.

It was a short walk and they passed through the hallways with pictures of the old Kazekage's and he stopped to look at Gaara's picture before looking away sadly. A second later they arrived at his office and he headed over to sit down.

Sitting down at the table and looking at the immense amount of paperwork with disgust, he turned to Temari. "Thank kami I know the kage bunshin no jutsu, Hokage-sama must be out of his mind if he thinks I'll be reduced to a paper pusher." Naruto said, snorting and Temari let out a small sigh.

"What did you mean by a pre-wedding gift Naruto-sama?" Temari asked inquisitively.

Naruto groaned loudly. "Call me Naruto, please. Would I make you more comfortable if I called you Temari-chan?" Naruto asked and she blushed.

"No, just the opposite." She said hastily.

"Good, well ever time you call me by the honorific, I'll call you Temari-chan, eventually one of us will win." Naruto shot back. "More to the point, I'm re-instating you as a shinobi to keep true to my word, but you will be a genin until you can prove me that you deserve a higher rank. As for your pre-wedding gift I will grant you a request now, anything you want and see to it personally it's done. I will grant you another on our wedding night. So Temari, what do you want from your future husband?" Naruto asked.

"I think you're starting to enjoy being my betrothed?" Temari teased, smiling a little.

"I enjoy whatever benefits Konoha, even if it something I'd rather not do. I think you are much prettier than I remembered, but when you gain that fierceness that you once had you'll be more suitable to be my wife. I will do my best for both my people and yours." Naruto professed confidently.

"I don't believe that's possible, you are a slave to your master and your master will not bring this world peace, no matter what he may claim. Look at my people, they are broken spirited with nothing to live for. You will never attain the peace you claim to." Temari stated.

"Look at your people…" Naruto scoffed with a sneer. "Your people betrayed my country and sold yourselves out to Orochimaru, and in the process our beloved Sandaime was murdered in cold blood with no one to help him. He was the best and kindest Hokage any of us could of asked for and he didn't deserve the death he received. Your people brought this upon themselves, and while I will do my best to give them a better future, do not think for one second I have forgotten the past." Naruto replied.

Temari paused for a second. "How many lives have you taken?" Temari asked after a second. "How many wives did you make widows of, how many kids did you make orphans out of? Do you think yourself to be better than my people? We did betray you under orders of the Kazekage, but that doesn't excuse what your Godaime did to us, nor those you have slain under his command. The lives that were lost, the people you've enslaved… Civilian women tossed into what's called the meat wagon, where you Konoha ninja use them for your pleasures and give them no compensation. How are your people any better than ours?" She responded harshly, surprising Naruto with the sheer ferocity in her voice.

The son of the Yondaime Hokage raised an eyebrow. In a flash he grabbed her by the front of her shirt and pushed her against the wall, his body flush against hers. Her breath was warm against his face, he could smell the lavender in her hair. Every nerve in his body was demanding blood, his psyche tainted by the Kyuubi and years of working for Danzou. "I am no one's dog. I am an asset to my village and when I become Hokage, I will obtain the peace I seek, by any means. If that means marrying you, giving you a child to bridge that gap between Konoha and Suna I will do so."

"Let me go."" Temari demanded. Inside her head was river of thoughts flying past to quickly for her to understand that she had gotten deep into Naruto's skin. Despite her earlier claims that she didn't hate Naruto, the truth was that deep down, behind a thin veiled curtain was a mass of disgust for the Konoha shinobi. The atrocities he committed during the war, her friends slain at his hands, her brother on the run, her people becoming slaves for the Godaime Hokage, deep down she hated his existence. She hated his spiky blonde hair, his deadened blue eyes, orbs that were a swirling vortex sucking her into the deep abyss within them.

She hated his fucking face.

Yet right now, as pressed as he was to her, deep down in her nether regions she felt a warm sensation spreading, her heart began accelerating and she felt the warm wetness between her thighs. What the fuck was going on with her?

Naruto released her and took a few steps back as if burned. Had he realized?

"Look, I don't care if you like me. But for your people we have to put an appearance in order to bridge the two nations. So as a dowry I will give you a gift." He stated.

"A gift?"

"Yes, what would you like from your future husband?" Naruto repeated.

"That's a hard question, Naruto-sama. Anything?" Temari asked hesitantly.

"Anything Temari-chan." Naruto repeated.

A fierce look crossed her teal eyes. "I want my brothers back without fearing prosecution from Konoha. Save my brothers Kankurou and Gaara, please." She said hopefully.

Naruto froze.

Kuso…

"That will be a problem." Naruto stated calmly. Crossing his arms over his chest, the Suna Commander contemplated how to address her request. He did promise her he'd giver her whatever she liked and if he did extend his hand on this it could bring back morale to the people and keep them loyal.

"I fear for their life, and you promised you'd give me anything." Temari replied quickly, her teal eyes taking in his every action as she tried to read his unreadable face.

"Your brothers are freedom fighters, terrorists to my people. They have slaughtered a lot of good Konoha nin but as a way of showing you that I truly wish for peace, if they pledge allegiance to Konoha as well as the jinchuuriki under your brother's command, I will pardon them for their crimes against Konoha and allow them back in." Naruto stated.

Biting down on his thumb he slammed the bloody hand on the floor. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu." There was a cloud of smoke and it revealed a yellow gold toad. "Gamarai, I need you to do me a favor. Tell Jiraiya to meet me here and I'll give you a lot of candy." Naruto ordered.

"Hai, you owe me." Gamarai stated and took off in a flash.

"You're summoning Jiraiya of the Densetsu no Sannin?" Temari asked astonished.

"Yes, he's my sensei and has spy connects throughout the whole world. If anyone can get the info it's him." Naruto informed her.

Before they could even move, an ANBU appeared at Naruto's window and Naruto almost killed him as he pressed his kunai against his neck. Releasing the ANBU, he told him to report.

"Naruto-sama, we have a lead on Orochimaru and Uchiha Sasuke." The ANBU reported.

"Explain, quickly at that." Naruto demanded.

"One of our spies in Iwa said that Orochimaru captured Sabaku no Gaara and held a fight between Sasuke and Gaara to show his power to the Tsuchikage. Gaara was beaten by Sasuke but if we strike soon, perhaps we can get Sasuke back." The ANBU continued and Naruto looked over at Temari whose tears continued streaming down her face.

"Gaara…" she whispered.

"Was he alive?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, just defeated." The ANBU explained.

"Thank you, I must prepare." Naruto stated.

"What do you mean?" the ANBU asked.

"I will go by myself. This is business I must handle alone." Naruto explained.

"But you're the Commander in charge…" the ANBU reminded him.

"I have a promise to complete for my future wife and payback to Sasuke. I will use my shadow clone jutsu to leave behind to take care of things will I'm gone." Naruto replied. "Have Asuma and his group arrived yet?" Naruto asked.

"Yes they got here a few hours ago, a few hours after your arrival."

"Why was I not notified?" Naruto demanded through a growl.

"You were tired and we didn't want to wake you sir." The hebi masked ANBU replied.

Naruto glowered but then stopped and pondered for a second. "Summon me up the Ino-Shika-Cho team, now!"

-xx-

"Naruto-dono." Sarutobi Asuma greeted as he stepped inside Naruto's office.

"Asuma, you can just call me Naruto in here, it feels weird to be called that. I'm just a ninja like anybody else." Naruto replied just as Shikamaru, Chouji, and Ino walked in. "How's it going guys?" Naruto asked nonchalantly, greeting his friends.

"We're here at your service Naruto." Shikamaru stated flatly, bowing his head slightly.

"Good. I need a favor, as you see today's my first real day as the right arm of the Hokage. But I need you guys to scout for me and interview the shinobi and civilian personel in Sunagakure and found out ways we can strengthen our relationship with them. I know this is a menial task to ask of you considering how strong you are, please use any of our shinobi including my genin for this project. The Hokage wants me to secure peace here but peace here is unobtainable without conceding on some of the people's desires and making them happy. Obviously we can't grant them everything, but it's the small things that count. Talk to them and see how we can obtain that goal." Naruto stated.

"As you wish." Sarutobi Asuma replied.

"I have business in Iwagakure that I have to attend to alone. Should for whatever reason my shadow clone disappear, Shikamaru I want you in charge until I return." Naruto continued.

"What are you doing in Iwagakure?" Shikamaru asked, concern etched on his face.

"I'm to going to cut the head off the snake." Naruto responded gravely.

Asuma and his group bowed one last time and walked out of his office. Temari walked in seconds later.

"Are you leaving to find my brothers?" she asked timidly.

"Yeah I'm going to get them back for you, I should be back with them soon, I promise."

"Do you really think you can walk into Iwagakure by yourself and walk out with two hostages? Even for someone like you that seems pretty dangerous." Temari stated softly.

"I'm not too worried, I'm not the son of the Yondaime for nothing. I have a plan after all…" Naruto replied.

"What's the plan?" Temari asked.

"Raise hell."

XX

"Sasuke-kun, it would appear that we've been breached." Orochimaru noted idly.

"By who?" Sasuke asked coldly.

"I do not know yet, but it must be someone good to get past all the guards and traps set up in Iwagakure to deter shinobi." Orochimaru hissed out.

The two of them were inside their training chambers where Orochimaru had taught Sasuke often. It was a massive dome like room made of rock with high ceilings allowing them to combat at ease without worrying about the destruction.

"I wonder who would be arrogant enough to breach our grounds?" Sasuke mused idly.

"That would be me of course." A voice called out.

Sasuke's eyes melted into red with three tomes spinning madly in a circular motion. Forming a scowl on his face he turned to look at the source of the voice. "Uzumaki Naruto, how dare you…" Sasuke growled out, a snarl forming on his face.

Naruto giggled.

The fury in Sasuke's eyes was priceless.

"I dare." Naruto replied.

Sasuke noted how different the Kyuubi's container looked from what he last remembered. He stood tall, as tall as he was, his hair was spiked all over the place with spiky clumps hanging down over his face. The back end of his hair was pulled into a spiked ponytail like Jiraiya. He was wearing a short sleeved tight black shirt with his headband wrapped around his left arm and an ANBU style plated vest over the shirt. He had on the black cargo pants similar to the blue ones the jounin wore and it was tapered off down at the shins, with high black sandals.

"Are you foolish enough to think you can take us all at once?" Orochimaru asked.

Naruto stood quiet for a second, glancing at Orochimaru with a mischievous smirk as his electric blue eyes hardened like steel, and a small smile graced his lips. "Yes. I think that would be an appropriate statement." Naruto replied.

"What are you here for?" Sasuke asked.

"Gaara and Kankurou, hand them over and no one dies." Naruto demanded.

"You think you can threaten me and make demands?" Orochimaru hissed out angrily. Sasuke stood next to him and got into his fighting stance.

"I'm pretty sure I was far from subtle. Give me the fucking hostages." Naruto replied, smirking.

Orochimaru's eyes widened and blurred in a burst of speed as he charged in. Sasuke followed suit, and charged in behind him.

Naruto laughed and disappeared, faster than Sasuke's Sharingan could follow and as he turned around, his battle instincts telling him that Naruto would appear behind him, yet it was too late. Naruto reappeared as Sasuke turned around and Naruto kicked him hard in the chest. Sasuke was immediately knocked off his feet and sent flying.

Orochimaru went to attack next and Naruto ducked his punch.

Orochimaru's head rolled to the floor with a loud smack.

His body melted away and reformed itself.

Naruto dropped Sasuke's katana that he had grabbed from behind him with a clank. "Don't underestimate me, the next time you do will be your last." Naruto stated with a chuckle.


End file.
